This Meeting Sucks
Welcome to This Meeting Sucks®, the podcast providing tangible tools to “un-suck” your meetings.
Episodes
42 episodes
S4E10: Performing and Learning
A goal is only as good as its results, and the only way to see your progress is to measure. In this episode, we walk through the final phase of the MeetingMakers Framework: Performing and Learning. The agenda includes activities for developing ...
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Season 4
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Episode 10
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24:45
S4E9: Mapping the Way Forward
When teams have a clear goal and aligned, actionable steps, it’s easy to make their vision a reality. In this episode, we walk through the fifth phase of the MeetingMakers Framework: Mapping, which includes goal-setting and action-planning acti...
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Season 4
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Episode 9
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24:52
S4E8: Visioning the Future
A clear mission and time-bound vision enable organizations to work productively and efficiently. This episode breaks down the fourth phase of the MeetingMakers Framework: Visioning, with an agenda for collaboratively crafting clear and motivati...
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Season 4
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Episode 8
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30:03
S4E7: Aligning on Process
If your team struggles to see results in new initiatives or strategic plans, it’s time to consider how these fit into the work you do already. In this episode, we walk through the fourth/final part of the third phase in our MeetingMakers Framew...
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Season 4
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Episode 7
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29:24
S4E6: Aligning on Customers
For any team, the customer or user is central to everything you do. Understanding who your team supports at a deep level is critical to ensuring that what your team does achieves real success. In this episode, we walk through part three of the ...
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Season 4
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Episode 6
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33:12
S4E5: Aligning on the Present
Jumping into goal-setting without a clear understanding of the present sets the stage for misalignment and missed opportunities. In this episode, we’ll walk you through part two of the third phase in our MeetingMakers Framework: Aligning, focus...
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Season 4
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Episode 5
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19:30
S4E4: Aligning on the Past
When teams design a path forward, reflection on the past is a critical step that is often missed. In this episode of This Meeting Sucks, we’re going to walk you through part one of the third phase in our MeetingMakers Framework: Aligning, focus...
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Season 4
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Episode 4
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25:32
S4E3: Building Trust in Teams
Trust is the foundation of a healthy team, and without it, teams lack the tools for constructive conflict, commitment to goals, mutual accountability, and major results. In this episode of This Meeting Sucks, we’re going to walk you through the...
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Season 4
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Episode 3
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27:53
S4E2: Initiating Projects or Teams
Whether you're a new team working together, an existing team looking for a reset or just unsure about where a project is headed, it's important to get everyone on the same page. In this episode, we’re going to walk you through the first phase i...
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Season 4
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Episode 2
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1:02:24
S4E1: Meet Your Way to a High-Performing Team
Welcome to Season 4, MeetingMakers! This season is all about high-performing teams and how you can build your way to high performance through meetings. We’ve codified a suite of agendas and companion templates you can modify and use with your t...
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Season 4
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Episode 1
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14:24
S3E10: When to Hire a Facilitator
No matter your skill at leading meetings, there are some occasions when hiring a facilitator is in your best interest. This episode goes over considerations to help you recognize when it’s time to bring in a third-party facilitator and gives yo...
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Season 3
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Episode 10
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15:16
S3E9: The Role of the Sponsor or Leader
Organization leaders and meeting sponsors carry a large influence on the meetings they attend, and how they show up can affect the group as a whole and the success of a session. This episode provides guidance for what leaders should be doing be...
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Season 3
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Episode 9
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18:44
S3E8: Support Roles—Notetaking & Tech Hosting (with Heather Martinez)
Whether your team needs help remembering information or navigating the complexities of virtual meetings, you can take on a meeting support role to level up the effectiveness of your team’s meeting. In this episode, Lauren breaks down the need f...
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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25:48
S3E7: Don't Just Do Something, Stand There
Sometimes, the best way to deal with conflict, is to stop and listen. In this episode, we’ll reframe our understanding of conflict and explore practical strategies for managing it effectively, whether you're the facilitator or a participant.
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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21:39
S3E6: Help Your Meetings Work II—Conversation Tracking
By identifying patterns in the conversation of your meeting, you can take action to keep things balanced and productive. In this episode, we go over the Kantor model, a tool you can use to track conversations and gain insight into group dynamic...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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19:42
S3E5: Help Your Meetings Work I—Verbal Tools
Get ready to test your knowledge in this Jeopardy-style episode inspired by the Not Past It podcast. In this episode, we unpack a facilitator’s toolkit of simple verbal tools that anyone in a meeting can use to improve communication, encourage ...
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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18:24
S3E4: Elevate Your Meeting Etiquette
Participant etiquette can make or break the success of a meeting. In this episode, we challenge you to rethink your approach to meetings with suggestions on mindset, being present, dealing with dominating personalities, and more.👉
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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19:45
S3E3: How Groups Work (or Don't Work)
Group and team dynamics can have a huge impact on the success of a meeting. In this episode, we discuss power dynamics, the role of conflict styles and groupthink, and introduce you to the Team Dimensions Profile, a tool for assessing team role...
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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18:28
S3E2: How People Work
In today's hectic work environment, where back-to-back meetings and unexpected challenges are the norm, managing yourself is the key to success. In this episode, we cover three tools for understanding how people work and interact in different s...
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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25:53
S3E1: A Participant's Guide to Un-sucking Your Meetings
Welcome to Season 3, MeetingMakers! This season is for anyone who participates in meetings with a desire to make them suck less. In this episode, we’ll give you an overview of what to expect in Season 3—focused on improving meetings through mod...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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9:18
S2E10: Debrief Meetings
You don’t need a three-day offsite in the woods to improve your team’s performance. It's much easier (and more effective) to bake debrief meetings into your team meeting rhythms so you can learn and grow from setbacks and successes. This episod...
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Season 2
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Episode 10
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11:09
S2E9: Make It a Meeting, Not a Lecture
Most presentations are boring and unmemorable, but there are techniques you can pull from meeting facilitation to make your presentations more engaging and effective. In this episode, we dive into tips for planning your presentation, telling a ...
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Season 2
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Episode 9
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24:27
S2E8: Mediate Conflicts & Give Feedback in the Moment (with Gina Weatherup)
Conflict in meetings is normal, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. In this special guest episode, certified meditator Gina Weatherup offers her top tips for managing conflict at work. Plus, Lauren gives her suggestions for giving feedback in the ...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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17:18