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No-Agenda-No-Meeting Rule
Refuse to attend or hold any meeting whose agenda did not arrive 24 hours prior, no exceptions.
Goal
Cut unproductive meetings by enforcing a preparation floor: whoever requests others' time must write why.
Steps
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1
Write a personal rule: "I will not attend any meeting without an agenda received 24h prior listing: goal, expected outcome, decisions to be made".
Expected Outcome
Immediate
You skip your first two meetings of the week and save at least an hour.
Evidence base
School: Death by Meeting / Lencioni
Founders: Patrick Lencioni · Cal Newport (2004)
Lencioni in "Death by Meeting" stresses a meeting without a defined decision must be cancelled. Cal Newport uses the same rule in "A World Without Email".
Keywords
Frequently asked questions
How long does "No-Agenda-No-Meeting Rule" take?
This exercise takes about 10 minutes, practiced solo in a Behavioral format.
When will I notice the effect of "No-Agenda-No-Meeting Rule"?
You skip your first two meetings of the week and save at least an hour. In the short term: Within a month, the rest of the team learns sending agendas is a prerequisite for attendance; overall meeting quality rises.
Is "No-Agenda-No-Meeting Rule" evidence-based?
Yes — it draws on Death by Meeting / Lencioni (Patrick Lencioni, Cal Newport (2004)). Lencioni in "Death by Meeting" stresses a meeting without a defined decision must be cancelled. Cal Newport uses the same rule in "A World Without Email".
Is "No-Agenda-No-Meeting Rule" suitable for beginners?
Its difficulty level is: Intermediate. No external tools required — it can be practiced directly inside the app.
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