Most information-sharing meetings exist because the organizer defaulted to synchronous communication. Before scheduling one, ask: can this be a written update? If the answer is yes, cancel the meeting. If you genuinely need live Q&A or real-time reaction, use this template.
State what is being shared and why it matters to the people in the room. One sentence.
Deliver the information concisely. Use visuals only if they add clarity. Do not read slides aloud — if the content can be read, send it in advance and skip to Q&A.
Open the floor for questions. Answer directly. If a question leads to a discussion that only involves two people, take it offline. Capture unanswered questions for follow-up.
Summarize the key takeaway in one sentence. State where the written version will be posted. End.
Pre-meeting checklist
- Confirm this cannot be delivered async (email, doc, Slack post)
- Pre-read or summary sent in advance so the meeting focuses on Q&A
- Only invite people who need to hear this directly
When to use 50 minutes instead
Use the longer format for all-hands or town halls where multiple presenters share updates and the Q&A needs more time. For single-topic updates, 25 minutes is almost always enough.