Premeetings

A premeeting is an informal or formal preparatory session held before a primary meeting to clarify objectives, align participants, delegate responsibilities, and resolve preliminary issues. Premeetings may take the form of short face-to-face conversations, phone calls, video conferences, or asynchronous exchanges such as shared documents and email threads. They are used in business, academic, legal, and community contexts to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the subsequent main meeting.

Typical purposes include defining the agenda, confirming roles (chair, note-taker, timekeeper), reviewing background materials, identifying sensitive topics, and establishing desired outcomes. Premeetings often involve a subset of the full participant list—organizers, key stakeholders, or presenters—rather than the entire group. They can be scheduled minutes to days in advance depending on complexity.

Benefits commonly attributed to premeetings are reduced meeting time, clearer decision-making, fewer surprises, and improved coordination among presenters. Challenges include added time overhead, potential exclusion of relevant voices, and the risk of pre-deciding matters that require broader input. Effective premeetings balance thorough preparation with efficiency, using concise agendas, clear follow-up actions, and documentation that informs the main meeting without replacing open discussion. Measurement of their value is typically based on reduced meeting length, higher participant preparedness, and improved meeting outcomes.