How To Have Great Meetings
Are your work meetings a productivity drain or a dynamic engine for results? For many, meetings have become a default setting, lacking focus, energy, and clear outcomes. On this week's episode of The Glass Sessions, we dive into how to transform those tedious calendar blocks into opportunities that actually drive connection, clarity, and results. We share practical tips on preparation, confident participation, managing group dynamics, and why the follow-up is your most powerful tool.
Actionable Tips & Takeaways
Preparation is key
Walk into every meeting confident, not reactive. A truly prepared participant shapes the conversation rather than simply reacting to it.
Know your role: Clearly understand what the meeting needs from you - is it a decision, an update, or a debate?
Review and formulate: Read all pre-circulated materials and form 1-2 key questions or points you want to raise beforehand. This ensures your contribution is intentional and impactful.
Define your ideal outcome: Before joining, decide what success looks like for you. If you need a decision on X, make that your focus and steer the discussion toward it.
Calibrate your presence
Understanding and managing your presence is crucial for an effective meeting. How you show up, both physically and verbally, impacts the entire group dynamic.
Active engagement: Put away distractions. Active listening isn't just about hearing; it's about making eye contact and signaling that you are absorbing the information.
Speak with intent: When you do speak, ensure your comments add value. Avoid repeating what someone else said just to be heard. Be concise and direct, leading with your point or recommendation.
Balance the airtime: Be mindful of how much you talk versus how much you listen. If you're generally a dominant speaker, practice holding space for others. If you're quiet, push yourself to offer at least one prepared point.
Manage dynamics and drive clarity
Meetings often stall due to unacknowledged power dynamics or a lack of clear process. Learn to navigate these to keep conversations productive.
Ask clarifying questions: If the conversation drifts or becomes too high-level, step in and ask, "What specific action will we take based on this?" or "Can we zoom back in on the primary goal for this meeting?"
Address conflict healthily: Recognize that healthy conflict is necessary for innovation and growth. If you see team members avoiding tension or if a disagreement is starting to turn personal, help redirect the focus back to the issue, not the person.
Capture decisions: Don't let a decision hang in the air. Verbally summarize the final agreement and the next steps before moving on: "So, to confirm, we're agreeing to [Action 1] by [Date], with [Person] owning the follow-up."
The follow-up is your secret weapon
Following up is often overlooked, but it is essential for building credibility and connection.
Track Your commitments: Ensure you promptly complete the tasks you committed to. Reliability is a cornerstone of professional trust, which will serve you well in future meetings and collaborations.
Tips for Managers: Leading Great Meetings
As a manager, you don't just attend meetings—you set the standard for how they operate. Modeling good behavior and intentionally structuring your meetings is key to team productivity.
Be ruthless with invitations and agendas
Define the "Why": Never call a meeting without a clear, single purpose. If it's just an information dump, send an email instead.
Invite intentionally: Only include people who are absolutely essential for the meeting's purpose, whether they are needed to contribute, approve, or execute.
Pre-wire decisions: For high-stakes decisions, talk to key stakeholders one-on-one before the meeting to get their initial input. This prevents surprises and uses the group time for final alignment, not initial brainstorming.
Manage group energy
Run the clock: Start and end on time, every time, to respect your team's schedule and focus.
Call out the quiet voices: Ensure all perspectives are heard. If you notice a more reserved team member hasn't spoken, gently prompt them: "Sarah, you have great insight into this process - what are your initial thoughts?"
NormalizedDisagreement: Model and encourage healthy conflict. Use phrases like, "It's okay for us to disagree. That's how we get better outcomes". This helps build psychological safety , allowing team members to challenge ideas without fear of backlash.
Document and delegate next steps
Ensure accountability: Never end a meeting without a clear list of who is doing what, and when. This reinforces shared accountability and ensures progress is made.
Empower follow-through: Encourage the meeting organizer or a key contributor to send the follow-up summary, rather than always taking it on yourself. This develops ownership and leadership skills within your team.
