By Lenny Rachitsky · lennysnewsletter.com · @lennysan on X · YouTube · LinkedIn
Lenny answers a reader whose startup grew to four PMs and who worries the team is drifting out of sync. He argues a PM team meeting can be one of the most valuable recurring meetings, but only if it has a clear purpose and is not held out of habit. He lays out tactics on goals, frequency, shared agendas, and keeping the tone light. The advice is practical for any product leader trying to keep a small PM group aligned and connected.
01Key takeaways
- Write down the specific problem a PM team meeting solves before keeping or adding it.
- Set one explicit goal, such as understanding, alignment, or connection, and check progress regularly.
- Hold PM team meetings one to two times a month, fewer as the team grows, and avoid duplicating 1:1s.
- Share an agenda document in advance so the team can see and add topics.
- Build in fun and social elements to keep the team connected.
02Key sections
- Question whether the meeting is needed
- Before keeping a recurring meeting, define the problem it solves and check whether a more efficient approach exists. A meeting should earn its place each time.
- Pick one clear goal
- The three typical goals are understanding, alignment, and connection. Make the goal explicit and keep checking whether the meeting achieves it.
- Set the right cadence
- One to two meetings a month works for most teams, with larger teams meeting less often. Weekly meetings tend to duplicate 1:1s, and laptops should stay closed.
- Run a shared agenda
- Keep the agenda in a shared document linked from the invite so anyone can add items. Large teams should assign a point person for the agenda.
- Keep it fun
- Add lightness through personal updates, guest speakers, book clubs, or social time so the meeting does not become purely serious.
03From the post
“Hello and welcome to another edition of my weekly newsletter! My name is Lenny, and each week I tackle reader questions about product, growth, working with humans, and anything else that’s stressing you out at the office. Send me your questions (just reply to this email or DM me) and in return, I’ll humbly share free real-talk advice. 🤝 If you find this newsletter valuable, consider sharing it with a friend 🤜🤛 Q: Do you have any advice on running a recurring PM team meeting? My startup has recently grown to four PMs and I feel us getting slowly out of sync since so much more is going on now. [](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s!SUDX!,fauto,qauto:good,flprogressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F5b2d4565-503c-4df4-8702-837290cecd56600x338.jpeg) I decided to tackle this question this week because during these turbulent times it’s especially important to strengthen the bonds between you and your teammates. PM team meetings can be one of your most fun and valuable meetings, getting everyone aligned and energized, but they can also easily be your most painful. I’ve heard stories of a PM team meeting (at a company that will go unnamed) where each…”
Summary and takeaways written by PM Atlas; quotes are short excerpts. © the original author.