This Meeting Sucks

Mar 31 2025 36 ep. 17 mins 4
This Meeting Sucks Podcast artwork

Welcome to This Meeting Sucks®, the podcast providing tangible tools to “un-suck” your meetings.

  Business  Education  Society & Culture
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S4E4: Aligning on the Past

Mar 31 2025 25 mins  
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, focused on the past. We’ll discuss the importance of looking back before moving forward and take you through our History Map agenda template.

S4E3: Building Trust in Teams

Feb 24 2025 27 mins  
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 second phase in our MeetingMakers Framework: Building Trust. Trust doesn’t just happen. Like any relationship, you have to cultivate tr

S4E2: Initiating Projects or Teams

Jan 27 2025 62 mins  
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 in our MeetingMakers Framework: Initiating, which includes Project Kick-Offs and Team Charters. With these meetings, you can lay the ground

S4E1: Meet Your Way to a High-Performing Team

Jan 27 2025 14 mins  
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 team. This episode introduces you to the MeetingMakers Framework and walks you through the coming season. Read along with the episode on Yo

S3E10: When to Hire a Facilitator

Feb 19 2024 15 mins  
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 you a guide of questions to consider when searching for the right person to lead your meeting. 👉 Download the visual summary notes for th

S3E9: The Role of the Sponsor or Leader

Feb 12 2024 18 mins  
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 before, during, and after a meeting to help achieve outcomes and harness the wisdom of their team. 👉 Download the visual summary notes for

S3E8: Support Roles—Notetaking & Tech Hosting (with Heather Martinez)

Feb 05 2024 25 mins  
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 for meeting notes and tips for taking them effectively, and guest Heather Martinez discusses the rold of tech host. 👉 Download the visua

S3E7: Don't Just Do Something, Stand There

Jan 29 2024 21 mins  
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. 👉 Download the visual summary notes for this episode. EPISODE RESOURCES: Book Notes: Don't Just Do Something, Stand There (blog) Don't Ju

S3E6: Help Your Meetings Work II—Conversation Tracking

Jan 22 2024 19 mins  
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 dynamics. 👉 Download the visual summary notes for this episode. EPISODE RESOURCES: Reading the Room - Channeling the Power of Group Dynamics (vi

S3E5: Help Your Meetings Work I—Verbal Tools

Jan 15 2024 18 mins  
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 diverse voices, and enhance the meeting experience. 👉 Download the visual summary notes for this episode. EPISODE RESOURCES: Facilitato