Just what exactly is the optimal meeting cadence? That is a question everyone has to be asking themselves every single day. Maybe not with that exact same wording but you get the picture. Our understanding of meetings and how often they should be held has changed heavily, especially after a particular world-changing health event that will remain nameless
– But honestly. Remember 2020? How crazy was that? We can’t believe it’s been three years. Where has all the time gone? –
The point is, we have more meetings than ever before with the rise in popularity of remote and hybrid work models in the past couple of years. The question is: Is having too many meetings counterproductive? The answer, as is the case with most things performance management, is more nuanced and complicated than a simple yes or no.
A change in meeting frequencies isn’t just related to the advent of remote work models. Goal-setting methodologies such as OKRs and Agile focus heavily on regular meetings and daily stand-ups. So today, we define meeting cadence, discuss meeting frequencies, and different types of meetings, and find the answer to the following question:
We will also be discussing how you can optimize different types of meetings at various frequencies.
Before we dive headfirst into sharing our hot takes and expert musings on the art of setting the perfect meeting cadence, let’s start with the basics: what exactly is a meeting cadence? Is it some kind of fancy snack? (Spoiler: it’s not.) Here’s the meaning cadence definition you’re looking for:
In plain English, a meeting cadence refers to the schedule and frequency of your team’s meetings. It’s about striking the perfect balance, how often your team gets together and making sure those meetings are actually useful, productive, and well-timed.
Think of it like this: if your team were a symphony orchestra, then the meeting cadence would be the conductor. You know, the person with the little baton who waves it around dramatically. At first glance, it might seem like they’re just having a good time up there, but their role is crucial. They ensure the orchestra stays in rhythm, nobody rushing, nobody dragging. That’s exactly what happens when you nail your meeting cadence.
But why bother setting the right cadence? Simple. It creates a predictable rhythm that keeps everyone aligned, reduces unnecessary interruptions, and ensures your time together is genuinely worthwhile.
Now, here’s the twist there’s no magic formula for the perfect meeting cadence. Every team has unique goals, dynamics, and working styles. Finding the right rhythm means carefully weighing factors like project deadlines, communication needs, and individual preferences. That’s the beauty of understanding the meaning of cadence in this context: it’s all about customizing the flow to suit your team’s specific needs.
Getting the meeting cadence right can make or break how your team operates. A well-designed cadence keeps everyone aligned, minimizes unnecessary interruptions, and ensures time together is used wisely. Remember, it’s about creating a rhythm that supports productivity and teamwork without overloading schedules.
Without the right cadence, things can quickly go off the rails. Too many meetings, and you’re drowning in disruptions. Too few, and key updates and collaboration opportunities get missed. The right frequency strikes the perfect balance, giving your team the predictability they need to stay in sync while respecting everyone’s time.
Meeting cadence is not just about how often you meet. A strong cadence ensures every meeting has a clear purpose. Whether you’re brainstorming, updating progress, or making decisions, every minute feels intentional and worthwhile.
At the end of the day, the right meeting cadence is what keeps your team connected, efficient, and moving forward.
Now that we have all our bases covered when it comes to discussing the cadence of meetings, we can take a look at different types of meeting frequencies. Think of this as getting your arsenal in order. We are checking all the weapons available to us before we start game planning.
What are some great meetings that can be conducted at a quarterly meeting cadence?? Quarter meetings provide an opportunity to discuss long-term strategic goals, evaluate performance, assess roadmaps, and, provide performance feedback. Meeting quarterly serves as a critical checkpoint to ensure the organization stays on track, addresses challenges, and makes informed decisions for the future.
So, how often is a quarterly meeting? As the name suggests, quarterly meetings occur four times a year, spaced three months apart. The quarterly meeting schedule is planned at the start of the year, with set dates for each quarter.
What are some great meetings that can be conducted at a quarterly cadence?
It’s a chance to celebrate wins, identify areas for growth, and enhance individual and team effectiveness. It is always a great idea to take advantage of performance review software with customizable performance review templates to make the most of these meetings.
What are monthly meetings? Monthly meetings as can be deducted from their name, are meetings conducted at a monthly cadence.
Our Holmsian powers of deduction aside, meetings at a monthly cadence serve as important checkpoints, providing regular opportunities for communication, collaboration, and alignment. They help teams stay informed, share progress, address challenges, and make collective decisions.
What are some monthly meetings?
It’s a chance to celebrate milestones, troubleshoot roadblocks, and keep the project engine running smoothly. If you are practicing Microsoft Teams project management, then you should really consider a one on one software with Microsoft Teams integration to make these meetings go as smoothly as possible.
We are slowly but surely making our way to cadence meetings at higher frequencies. What are weekly cadence meetings? They are regular meetings conducted at a weekly cadence. The weekly cadence meaning is all about creating checkpoints that allows teams to consistently review progress, adjust priorities, and address emerging issues.
They help teams stay connected, maintain momentum, and ensure that everyone is working towards common goals. If you can’t tell already, we are huge fans of weekly check-ins! Here are some examples:
And here we are! We took the scenic route but we finally got here. To the highest meeting frequency (We refuse to believe in a world where hourly meetings are “a thing”.). So what are daily meetings?
Daily meetings are meetings conducted at a daily cadence. They provide a platform for timely communication, collaboration, and coordination. If you stretch the definition, and you should, impromptu meetings would fit under this category as well. So what are some classic daily meetings?
By now, you must have realized that there is no perfect one on one meeting cadence that fits every single situation. Meeting frequencies depend heavily on the nature of the meeting itself, along with a million other things.
One on one meetings add one more variable to that mix. The nature of the relationship between you and the individual you will be in the meeting with. How to determine the right one on one meeting cadence? Here are some factors to help you determine the perfect one on one meeting cadence:
Consider the nature of the relationship between the meeting participants. Are they direct reports, colleagues, or cross-functional team members? The level of collaboration and interaction required may influence the frequency of one-on-one meetings.
Direct Reports: More frequent one-on-ones (weekly or bi-weekly) are often helpful to provide guidance, track progress, and build a foundation of trust. These regular check-ins give your direct reports the space to discuss challenges, ask questions, and align on priorities.
Peers or Cross-Functional Team Members: If you’re working on a shared project or collaborating across teams, less frequent meetings like meeting monthly or having milestone-focused catch-ups is enough to stay aligned.
New Relationships: For someone you’ve just started working with, consider meeting more often initially. Frequent one-on-ones in the early stages build rapport, set clear expectations, and establish a strong foundation for collaboration.
Why are you having these one-on-ones? Are they focused on mentoring, feedback, project updates, or personal growth? Meetings centered on immediate project updates might need a shorter, more frequent cadence, while development-oriented conversations often happen less often but in longer, more reflective sessions.
What makes one on one meetings so special is the personal nature they have. A great way to determine the perfect one on one meeting cadence is to simply take into account the preferences and needs of the participants.
Some may prefer more frequent meetings for regular check-ins and guidance, while others may find less frequent meetings sufficient. Checking in with your team on this should definitely earn you some points toward that manager of the year trophy.
One thing you need to accept is that the perfect meeting cadence, whether we are talking one on one meetings or team check-ins, may evolve over time. As circumstances change, such as project priorities or team dynamics, be open to adjusting the meeting frequency accordingly.
While conducting meetings at the right frequency is great, you need to make sure your meetings are the right length as well. Now, we can give you our usual “It depends!” answer about this one too, but instead we will give you some clear numbers to map your meeting durations around.
If you have stuck with us this far, then we have a surprise for you. Did you know that Teamflect, the best meeting software for Microsoft Teams has an incredible free plan?!
You can! Teamflect is an all-in-one performance management system designed specifically for Microsoft Teams that will provide you with the best possible meeting experience in the Microsoft Teams ecosystem.
Teamflect users can manage their meetings any way they choose. With Teamflect, you can:
An all-in-one performance management tool for Microsoft Teams