Nobody enjoys being stuck in an unproductive, disorganized meeting — yet shockingly, a recent survey found that 71% of meetings fall into this category.
From junior employees to heads of departments, we’re all familiar with the frustrations of being trapped in a huddle that’s going nowhere or opening a schedule to see it jam-packed with Zoom calls you know aren’t worth the time you’ll spend in them.
Useless meetings have long been accepted as a necessary evil of office (and more recently, remote) work, and tragically, the “meeting that should’ve been an email” is deemed by most to be part and parcel of earning a living in the corporate sphere. But it doesn’t have to be this way. What if every meeting worked as advertised, providing genuine value to the business and energizing — rather than sedating — its attendees?
Well, today, we’ll explain exactly how you can make this dream a reality. Below, we’ll discuss 5 actionable tips you can use to ensure every meeting is worth the space in your Google calendar.
5 Essential Tips To More Successful Meetings
1. Set clear objectives beforehand
You wouldn’t start a project without knowing the desired outcome, so why should meetings be any different? Before hitting that “Send Invite” button, take a moment to define what you want to achieve. Is this a brainstorming session? Are you making a critical decision? Or perhaps you’re just updating the team on progress? Whatever the goal, it needs to be crystal clear — not just to you but to every attendee.
By explicitly stating the objectives in your meeting invite, everyone comes prepared, and it’s easier to remain focused on the desired outcome. It’s a small step, but it can dramatically reduce the likelihood of your meeting wandering off into trivial territory. And when everyone knows why they’re there and what needs to be accomplished, the chances of leaving the meeting feeling productive — rather than drained — are significantly higher.
2. Limit attendees to key stakeholders
Know that age-old phrase about an overabundance of cooks? Well, the same principle applies to meetings. Inviting too many people can dilute the focus and effectiveness of the discussion, turning a tight 30-minute meeting into a drawn-out, hour-long ordeal. The key here is to invite only those who are directly involved in the topic at hand, and allow those whose attendance is nonessential to use the time more meaningfully.
When planning your meeting, ask yourself: “Who absolutely needs to be here to achieve our objectives?” It’s not about excluding people for its own sake but ensuring the right voices are at the table. Not only will this streamline the conversation, but it also respects everyone’s time. Plus, when you limit the number of attendees, it encourages those who are present to engage more actively, knowing their input is not only vital but valuable.
3. Stick to a structured agenda
Meeting agendas aren’t a mere tick-box exercise — they’re the backbone of any successful meeting, the blueprint for a focused and constructive discussion. A well-structured agenda keeps everything (and everyone) on track and ensures all the necessary talking points can be covered. Without one, it’s all too easy for conversations to veer dramatically off course, turning an otherwise focused discussion into a meandering mess of loosely-relevant topics.
Be sure to include specific time slots for each agenda item, as this can help you avoid spending too much time on certain topics at the expense of others. And remember, the agenda isn’t set in stone — it’s a guide. If something truly important comes up that wasn’t on the original list, it’s okay to adjust, but having that structure in place will help you bring the conversation back to the main points if the conversion goes too off-topic.
4. Encourage active participation
Meetings should be a two-way street, not a one-person monologue. If your meetings generally consist of a “head honcho” talking while everyone else nods in agreement, you’re likely missing out on valuable input and ideas. It’s vital you create an environment where everyone feels comfortable to contribute, whether you specifically ask for their feedback on each agenda item or invite those who generally take a back seat to share their thoughts.
You might even consider assigning specific roles or topics to different participants ahead of time, which means they come prepared and encourage participation from those who dread being “put on the spot.” By incorporating technology such as the board management software from Diligent — which enables polls, shared documents, and chat functions — you can ensure even those who are more hesitant to speak up can still have their voices heard.
5. End with clear action items and next steps
Have you ever left a meeting and thought to yourself, “That was all very insightful, but what do we do now?” A meeting is only as good as the actions it inspires, but this scenario is all too common — discussions are often left hanging without a clear plan for what happens next. To prevent this, it’s crucial to always wrap up the meeting by a) summarizing the key takeaways and b) assigning specific action items.
Each task should have a designated owner and a set deadline, ensuring there’s no excuse for pleading ignorance around who’s responsible for what. It’s also helpful to document the next steps post-meeting and distribute them to all attendees as a follow-up, reinforcing what was discussed and serving as a reference point for your next meeting. By making sure everyone knows exactly what’s precise of them, meetings become less talk and more tangible progress.
Bonus tip: Regularly review and improve your meetings
This bonus tip isn’t about what happens during a meeting but what happens afterward. Just like any other aspect of business, you’re never likely to achieve “peak” meeting management, so your approach should be subject to periodic reviews and improvements.
After each discussion, take a bit of time to reflect on what worked well and what didn’t. Did the meeting drag? Did the conversation get derailed? Were there any attendees whose attendance felt needless?
Gather feedback from your team and, most importantly, be open to making changes. This might mean something as simple as tweaking your agenda format, adjusting the length or frequency of your meetings, or experimenting with different collaboration or note-taking tools.
It’s only by continuously refining your approach that you can ensure your meetings remain productive, constructive, and — above all — a valuable use of everyone’s time.
