When to Share a Meeting Pre-Read?

Learn best practices for sharing pre-reads and following up to boost meeting preparation, engagement, and outcomes.

min read

Effective pre-read management is crucial for meeting success. Timing is key: share materials 48 hours in advance, considering audience schedules and complexity. Clear communication of expectations, gentle reminders, and leveraging technology can significantly boost engagement. The pre-reads, not only ensure that the meeting is productive but also encourage meaningful discussions and participation.

Best practices on sharing and following up on Pre-reads:

Optimal Sharing Time Share pre-reads at least 48 hours before the meeting. This gives participants ample time to review the material, process the information, and prepare questions or comments. For complex topics or longer documents, consider sharing even earlier.
Consider Your Audience Take into account your team's workload and schedules. If you know your colleagues are particularly busy, share the pre-read earlier. For global teams, be mindful of time zones and work hours when sharing and setting deadlines.
Clear Expectations When sharing the pre-read, clearly communicate your expectations. Specify what sections are crucial, estimated reading time, and any actions required (e.g., prepare questions, and complete a survey). This helps participants prioritize and engage effectively with the material.
Gentle Reminders Send a reminder 24 hours before the meeting. Keep it brief and friendly, reiterating the importance of the pre-read and how it will contribute to the meeting's success. This serves as a helpful nudge without being pushy.

The real power lies in how this practice shapes your team's approach to collaboration. As pre-reads become the norm, you'll likely notice a shift towards more proactive engagement, with team members coming to meetings armed with insights and well-formed ideas. This can lead to shorter, more focused meetings and faster decision-making processes. Moreover, consistent use of pre-reads can foster a culture of continuous learning and preparation, elevating the overall quality of work and discussions. By championing effective pre-read practices, you're not just improving meetings – you're paving the way for a more informed, engaged, and efficient organizational culture.

How Video Calling App can help?

We understand that meetings aren’t just a time block. There are a plethora of pre-, in, and post-meeting tasks involved in driving an effective meeting. And how significant the groundwork is that starts with meeting agendas.

That’s why we are building the Video Calling App - it helps product and engineering teams capture meeting context, automate tasks, and focus on high-impact work.

VCA’s AI-powered smart agenda acts as a meeting precursor, helping you draft well-structured agendas by factoring in various elements. It pulls in meeting recaps, shared docs/pre-reads, messages from Slack's "remind me" feature, parking lot items, and more. This way, you've got a comprehensive agenda that sets you up for a productive meeting right from the start.

We are still in the early stages and rolling out access every day. If that sounds interesting, join the waitlist or fill out this form, and we’ll be in touch super soon.

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