Meetings: Make the most out of them

April 9, 2024
The Culture Equation
Meetings: Make the most out of them

How many times have you sat in a meeting and asked yourself, “Didn’t we go through this before?”.

It’s not just you.

A shocking statistic from Harvard Business Review shows that over 71% of meetings are considered unproductive by participants. Think of the cost to the business, to productivity, and velocity.

But fear not, WE can change this.

Meetings can be held to achieve many different goals and objectives, where it’s content and settings can range from introductory icebreakers to complex, goal-driven meetings. Here are a few tips to ensure that your next meeting is optimised and productive.

Plan Your Meetings

Planning meetings doesn’t only revolve around finding an ideal time and place for everyone, it also entails pre-establishing objectives and having a clearly defined problem/issue to solve.

Pre-planning an agenda, along with a realistic idea of an achievable outcomes can help keep the meeting on track. Sharing with all attendees the vision of success during the meeting and the role you expect each person to play is essential – no bystanders.

Employing the use of visual aides can be immensely helpful, where the use of powerpoints and interactive apps can significantly enhance the comprehension and understanding from all attendees.

Ensure that someone is distinctly designated as the leader of the meeting, making sure that the meeting does not get side tracked and the desired outcomes are achieved by the end of the meeting.

Choosing the Right Participants

Having the right attendees within a meeting is essential to achieving the outcomes of your agenda. Ensuring that you have the right people with the knowledge, skillset and decision-making capacity allows you to conduct your meetings without confusion and delay.

Try to limit the number of attendees in your meeting, where overcrowded meeting rooms can hinder free-flowing communication.

Remember the word ‘inclusion’ does not mean absolutely everyone needs to be invited to an upcoming meeting. It could mean that you inform them afterwards, or ahead of time for those that are not direct decision-makers.

Consider the priorities of all those are invited. Those with pressing – priorities, external deadlines and those on holiday may not need to be included in the meeting. If they are essential to the meeting, consider postponing the meeting to accomodate them.

Value Open Communication

Encourage all members of the meeting to participate actively into the discussion. Include them early within the meeting to create  a space where every voice matters.

Promote a culture where it is psychologically safe to challenge, to ask questions and to offer ideas without fear of judgement or ridicule. Think about who you are not hearing from, and gently seek their input

If you are struggling with establishing and promoting a culture that encourages effective meetings in service of high velocity and high performing teams, find out more about how we can help you establish the right culture here.


At The Culture Equation, we help businesses transform their culture, teams and leadership. 

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