If your meeting’s success depends on making decision, mark agenda items as either D (Decision) or C (Conversation). It takes 30 seconds to do, but it tells people why they\u2019re there and what kind of thinking you expect \u2014 saving you from the endless swirl of \u201cwe\u2019ll circle back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s be honest: meetings don\u2019t waste time \u2014 we do, by showing up to unclear conversations without a finish line. The calendar invite is not the agenda, and the agenda is not the goal. When people join without knowing what kind of work they\u2019re there to do, they default to talking instead of deciding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For meetings that require decision making, adding a simple D\/C label to each agenda item fixes that. D means we\u2019re choosing something \u2014 expect a clear outcome. C means we\u2019re exploring \u2014 expect ideas, not closure. That tiny label changes tone, preparation, and pacing. It also gives you permission to say, \u201cWe\u2019re drifting into a conversation, but this was a decision item \u2014 let\u2019s refocus.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Facilitators who use this method report sharper meetings and happier participants. People prepare differently when they know what kind of thinking is expected. And when you end, everyone knows which items produced action.
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