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Ad hoc meeting

As explained in Think Like a CTO

A meeting arranged as needed for a small, explicitly defined set of discussion topics.

An ad hoc meeting is a short meeting arranged for a small, explicitly defined set of topics. Default to 15 or 30 minutes rather than assuming an hour, and require a one- or two-item agenda so participants know what to expect. section 6.7.2

Keep the meeting focused and respectful of participants’ time:

  • Invite only people who will contribute to the discussion. section 6.7.2
  • Distribute the agenda and any reading materials in advance. section 6.7.2
  • Table details that require different participants and schedule a separate follow-up. section 6.7.2
  • Reduce distractions by prohibiting interruptions and limiting laptops to presentations. section 6.7.2

Separating detail from status

When a team-leader meeting gets pulled into a specific issue, table it and invite the necessary people to remain afterward or schedule a smaller ad hoc meeting. section 6.7.2

How Think Like a CTO covers it

How deep it goes
Explains duration defaults, agenda limits, participant selection, preparation, and distraction controls.
Examples
Uses a team-leader meeting that tables specific details and schedules a smaller follow-up as the practical example.
What you can do after
Operate ad hoc meetings by limiting topics, time, attendance, preparation, and distractions.
How it connects
Connects meeting agendas, team leaders, follow-up meetings, and interactive meeting rules to focused participation.
Cover of Think Like a CTO
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Related concepts

This explainer was generated by Manning's knowledge graph from the text of Think Like a CTO. The section links point to the parts of the book it draws on.