Meetings can be obstacles to progress. One study recently found that one-third of meetings are a waste of time. I don’t know any leader who doesn’t think they have too many meetings. Too many meetings don’t allow them to work, think, create, connect, or imagine possibilities. It doesn’t need to be this way. Meetings can also be pathways to progress and empower better tomorrows. We can have better meetings. Here are 11 tips for better meetings in the following categories: less is more, clarity is key, and better facilitation.
Less Is More
A key lesson for me after stepping away from a campus-based higher education role is; I don’t know why we meet as often as we meet, as long as we meet, with as many people as we invite.
Cancel more meetings.
Almost every leader I know, hates cancelling meetings. They don’t want people to feel like they are not important, valued, or included. They are so resistant to cancelling meetings that they often hold meetings they aren’t prepared for or are no longer necessary. On the other hand, when our meetings are canceled…we are thrilled! You might even do a little happy dance. Cancel more meetings.
Have shorter and fewer meetings.
Could your 90-minute staff meeting be 60 minutes? 30 minutes? Could you meet every other week rather than weekly? Monthly? Conclude 30-minute meetings at the 25-minute mark and 60-minute meetings at the 50-minute mark. People need space for their biological needs, time to respond to urgent emails, check in on things at home, and think ahead of their next meeting. What about 45-minute meetings? 75 minutes? 15 minutes?
Invite fewer people.
Inclusion is critical to ensuring people are involved in decision-making, feel seen, and feel valued. However, inclusion has a dark side, which could look like inviting anyone you think might maybe possibly some day feel left out. Keep your meetings as small as possible while including everyone who needs to be involved.
Avoid default meetings.
Don’t just meet because it’s on the schedule. Don’t just invite people because they were invited last time.
Clarity is Key
Should this be a meeting or an email?
When I ask teams to essentialize how they work, the top two responses consistently are fewer meetings and fewer emails. Meetings and emails are how we communicate. We need better communication, not more, and certainly not when the tool does not match the purpose. Meetings are for thinking together. Emails are for sharing information. If your purpose is to share information then send an email so folks can come back to it in two weeks when it is relevant, can easily share it, and don’t have to take their own notes. If email feels too impersonal, share a quick video via Loom or some other means. If your purpose is for folks to think and engage with each other, then you should have a meeting.
Be clear about the purpose of your meeting.
Are you meeting to expand thinking (brainstorm) or constrict thinking (decide)? Be clear about your purpose in advance. Share the topic and whether you are ideation and expansive thinking or to narrow from the possibilities toward a decision. When folks know in advance they can think, reflect, and ponder ahead of the meeting, unless they are in too many meetings. You might consider sharing a question to answer rather than a topic to discuss. This can help curate invitees, generate thinking before the meeting, and when the question is answered – the meeting is done – no performative pontificating.
Better Facilitation
After reading the previous post, my friend and colleague Dr. Gavin Henning highlighted a crucial point: effective facilitation is key to better meetings. I couldn’t agree more. So, I’m adding this section on facilitation, thanks to Gavin’s insight.
Agenda & Minutes
A well-crafted agenda sets the meeting in motion long before it starts. It provides participants with the opportunity to understand the focus, gather their thoughts, seek out relevant information, and be better prepared for meaningful discussions. Similarly, clear and detailed minutes help the meeting extend beyond its scheduled time. For those who couldn’t attend, minutes offer a way to stay informed, share input asynchronously, and grasp the rationale behind decisions. For attendees, minutes serve as a valuable recap, helping them revisit discussions they might have missed due to distractions—whether it was a tense moment, an urgent message, or a brief phone call. Given the variety of reasons people might miss a meeting, comprehensive agendas and minutes ensure everyone stays in the loop, whether they were present or not.
Framing
Framing is essential to keeping meetings on track. Clearly outlining the focus, objectives, and boundaries prevents the conversation from veering off course. Is the goal to brainstorm ideas or make decisions? Are we here to gather insights for a decision-maker or to decide as a group? Are we learning, contributing, resolving, or something else entirely? Taking a moment to establish the framework might feel like a delay, but it can save time later by preventing misunderstandings, tangents, and confusion about the meeting’s purpose.
Start with Celebrations
Beginning a meeting with celebrations—whether it’s sharing achievements, expressing gratitude, or highlighting something positive—can significantly boost the team’s mindset. This simple act shifts brain chemistry, helping attendees approach challenges with a more open, collaborative attitude. When you make celebrations a regular practice, people come to meetings prepared to share positive moments, creating a proactive atmosphere before the discussion even begins. Over time, you might notice a shift in the types of celebrations people bring forward, as they become more attuned to recognizing success.
Engage Everyone
Not everyone participates equally, and for a variety of reasons. Some may naturally engage—whether due to extroversion, confidence, or sheer enthusiasm—while others may hold back due to introversion, uncertainty, or distractions. It’s important to create an environment where everyone feels comfortable contributing, and where those who are hesitant can find a way to participate meaningfully.
Attend to Power Dynamics
Power dynamics are always present in meetings, whether we acknowledge them or not. Power can be positional, identity-based, relational, and more. Facilitators must be mindful of these dynamics, especially their own, as power often goes unexamined by those who hold it. Each participant has power in some ways and lacks it in others, but we often focus on the power we don’t have and overlook the power we do have because it benefits us. A good facilitator recognizes this complexity and works to ensure that power is addressed thoughtfully and responsibly.
Resources
Adam Grant: Why meeting suck and how to fix them.
Chad Littlefield: How to conduct effective meetings.
How to Run a Good Meeting by Allison Vaillancourt
Using Our Time Strategically my podcast conversation with Allison Vaillancourt
