Best Practices for Managing Meetings

Anyone else suffer from meeting overload? It’s a big deal. Simply put too many meetings means less time available for actual work, plus constantly attending meetings can be mentally draining, and often they simply are not required to accomplish the agenda items. At the same time sometimes it’s unavoidable. No matter where you are in your career, here are a few ways that I tackle this topic so that I can be my best and hold myself accountable to how my time is spent. I take 15 minutes every Friday to look at the week ahead and what is on my calendar. I follow these tips to ensure what is on the calendar should be and that I’m prepared. It ensures that I have a relevant and focused communications approach, and enables me to focus on optimizing productivity, outcomes and impact. 1. Review the meeting agenda. If there’s no agenda I send an email asking for one so you know exactly what you need to prepare for, and can ensure your time is correctly prioritized. You may discover you’re actually not the correct person to even attend. If it’s your meeting, set an agenda because accountability goes both ways. 2. Define desired outcomes. What do you want/need from the meeting to enable you to move forward? Be clear about it with participants so you can work collaboratively towards the goal in the time allotted. 3. Confirm you need the meeting. Meetings should be used for difficult or complex discussions, relationship building, and other topics that can get lost in text-based exchanges. A lot of times though we schedule meetings that we don’t actually require a meeting to accomplish the task at hand. Give ourselves and others back time and get the work done without that meeting. 4. Shorten the meeting duration. Can you cut 15 minutes off your meeting? How about 5? I cut 15 minutes off some of my recurring meetings a month ago. That’s 3 hours back in a week I now have to redirect to high impact work. While you’re at it, do you even need all those recurring meetings? It’s never too early for a calendar spring cleaning. 5. Use meetings for discussion topics, not FYIs. I save a lot of time here. We don’t need to speak to go through FYIs (!) 6. Send a pre-read. The best meetings are when we all prepare for a meaningful conversation. If the topic is a meaty one, send a pre-read so participants arrive with a common foundation on the topic and you can all jump straight into the discussion and objectives at hand. 7. Decline a meeting. There’s nothing wrong with declining. Perhaps you’re not the right person to attend, or there is already another team member participating, or you don’t have bandwidth to prepare. Whatever the reason, saying no is ok. What actions do you take to ensure the meetings on your calendar are where you should spend your time? It’s a big topic that we can all benefit from, please share your tips in the comments ⤵️ #careertips #productivity #futureofwork

The most underleveraged growth hack in any company is this: How the leadership team runs their meetingsMost leaders sit through 8–10 meetings a week and walk away with updates, opinions, and half-decisions. Rarely do they leave with clarity, momentum, or measurable action. I coach CEOs to treat meetings like product sprints—designed, tested, and optimized—because your meeting hygiene is a direct reflection of your company culture and strategic thinking. Let’s deconstruct how elite CEOs run meetings that move billion-dollar machines—so you can apply it to your 5-person team or your 5,000-person org. 1. Start with first principles. (Jensen Huang – NVIDIA) Before any ideation, ask: “What do we know for sure? What’s just noise or assumption?” When you strip discussions down to evidence and truths, you avoid solving the wrong problem with brilliant ideas. Clarity before creativity. Always. 2. Cap meetings at 30 minutes. (Tim Cook – Apple) Every minute over 30 without a decision-maker in the room is a tax on productivity. If there’s no owner or desired outcome → cancel it or convert it to async. Time is your highest-leverage resource. Use meetings to compress decisions—not stretch them. 3. Put the customer in the room. (Lisa Su – AMD) Start every meeting by grounding the discussion in a user story, customer tension, or market shift. Every strategic choice should begin with the end user—not internal politics. If you’re not customer-driven, you’re ego-driven. There’s no in-between. 4. Anchor every discussion to one metric. (Safra Catz – Oracle) Great meetings aren’t just about ideas—they’re about impact. So start with: “What are we trying to move?” This turns vague alignment into concrete execution. 5. Always end with a 48-hour action lock. (Sundar Pichai – Google) No meeting is done until: -One person owns the next step -The deliverable is clearly defined -A timeline under 48 hours is locked Momentum dies in ambiguity. Good leaders close meetings. Great leaders create follow-through. 6. Listen like a leader, not a judge. (Satya Nadella – Microsoft) The smartest person in the room doesn’t speak first—they synthesize. Paraphrase what you heard. Ask questions that deepen thought. Cut with clarity. You don’t earn trust by having answers. You earn it by making people feel heard and guided, not managed. If your meetings feel heavy, it’s a culture issue. If they feel aimless, it’s a clarity issue. Either way—it’s a leadership issue. #CEOHabits #LeadershipSystems #StrategicExecution #MeetingMastery #CeoCoach #HighPerformanceLeadership #TimeLeverage #OrganizationalDesign

Ever notice how some leaders seem to have a sixth sense for meeting dynamics while others plow through their agenda oblivious to glazed eyes, side conversations, or everyone needing several "bio breaks" over the course of an hour? Research tells us executives consider 67% of virtual meetings failures, and a staggering 92% of employees admit to multitasking during meetings. After facilitating hundreds of in-person, virtual, and hybrid sessions, I've developed my "6 E's Framework" to transform the abstract concept of "reading the room" into concrete skills anyone can master. (This is exactly what I teach leaders and teams who want to dramatically improve their meeting and presentation effectiveness.) Here's what to look for and what to do: 1. Eye Contact: Notice where people are looking (or not looking). Are they making eye contact with you or staring at their devices? Position yourself strategically, be inclusive with your gaze, and respectfully acknowledge what you observe: "I notice several people checking watches, so I'll pick up the pace." 2. Energy: Feel the vibe - is it friendly, tense, distracted? Conduct quick energy check-ins ("On a scale of 1-10, what's your energy right now?"), pivot to more engaging topics when needed, and don't hesitate to amplify your own energy through voice modulation and expressive gestures. 3. Expectations: Regularly check if you're delivering what people expected. Start with clear objectives, check in throughout ("Am I addressing what you hoped we'd cover?"), and make progress visible by acknowledging completed agenda items. 4. Extraneous Activities: What are people doing besides paying attention? Get curious about side conversations without defensiveness: "I see some of you discussing something - I'd love to address those thoughts." Break up presentations with interactive elements like polls or small group discussions. 5. Explicit Feedback: Listen when someone directly tells you "we're confused" or "this is exactly what we needed." Remember, one vocal participant often represents others' unspoken feelings. Thank people for honest feedback and actively solicit input from quieter participants. 6. Engagement: Monitor who's participating and how. Create varied opportunities for people to engage with you, the content, and each other. Proactively invite (but don't force) participation from those less likely to speak up. I've shared my complete framework in the article in the comments below. In my coaching and workshops with executives and teams worldwide, I've seen these skills transform even the most dysfunctional meeting cultures -- and I'd be thrilled to help your company's speakers and meeting leaders, too. What meeting dynamics challenge do you find most difficult to navigate? I'd love to hear your experiences in the comments! #presentationskills #virualmeetings #engagement

Meetings aren’t for updates - they’re where your culture is being built… or broken. In distributed, remote, & hybrid teams, meetings are key moments where team members experience culture together. That makes every meeting a high-stakes opportunity. Yet most teams stay in default mode - using meetings for project updates instead of connection, ideation, debate, and culture-building. Fixing meeting overload isn’t just about having fewer Zooms. It’s about rewiring your communication norms: ✔️ Do we know when to communicate synchronously vs. asynchronously? ✔️ Are we using async tools that give transparency without constant live check-ins? ✔️ Have we aligned on our team values and expected behaviors? 💡 3 ways to reduce meetings and make the remaining ones count: 1️⃣ Co-create a Team Working Agreement. Before you can reinforce values, your team needs to define them. We’ve spent hundreds of hours helping teams do this - and have seen measurable gains in team effectiveness. Key components: ✔️ Shared team goals ✔️ Defining team member roles ✔️ Agreed-upon behaviors ✔️ Communication norms (sync vs. async) 2️⃣ Begin meetings with a connection moment. Relationships fuel trust and collaboration. Kick things off with a check-in like: “What gave you energy this week?” Or tailor it to the topic. In a recent meeting on decision-making norms, we asked: “Speed or certainty - which do you value more when making decisions, and why?” 3️⃣ Make team values part of the agenda. Create a ritual to recognize teammates for living into the team behaviors. Ask the question: “Where did we see our values or team agreements show up this week?” And check in on where could the team have done better. Culture doesn’t happen by accident - especially when your teams are spread across time zones, WFH setups, and multiple office sites. Your meetings can become a powerful tool to build culture with intention. Excerpt from the Work 20XX podcast with Jeff Frick

These aren't just hacks. They show a deep appreciation for people's time, energy, focus, and the high cost of unnecessary mental context-switching. Each rule reflects respect for people. 1) The “empty chair” is more than symbolic. Keeping one seat open for the customer isn't just about empathy—it’s a design principle that keeps product and service discussions grounded in real-world value, not internal politics. 2) The use of AI tools isn't about novelty—it’s about reducing cognitive load. AI transcription allows participants to stay present instead of scrambling for notes, which improves both listening and memory. 3) The Maker-Manager distinction addresses a hidden source of organizational friction. Makers and managers operate on incompatible time scales. This rule doesn't just help meetings—it reduces burnout and increases satisfaction. 4) The “4-Bullet Update” is a thinking tool, not just a reporting one. It forces clarity: What’s done? What do I need? What’s blocking me? Where am I going? This structure improves performance even outside meetings. These rules reinforce psychological safety. A clear agenda, action memos, and small group sizes reduce ambiguity—one of the biggest killers of trust and productivity. Now read the list one more time with these insights in mind... 8 Rules to Run Effective Meetings 1. Follow the Two-Pizza Rule Keep meetings small enough to be fed by two pizzas (6–8 people). 2. Hold standing meetings Studies show standing meetings reduce duration by 34%. 3. Send a detailed agenda Before the meeting, state the purpose and desired outcomes for every attendee. No agenda means no meeting. 4. Keep one seat open At every meeting. This way, decisions will always consider the impact on the end user (h/t Amazon). 5. Use AI transcription tools Quickly capture key meeting points and action items. 6. Implement Maker-Manager Schedules Managers thrive on 30-minute blocks for decisions. Makers need 3–4 hour blocks for deep work—schedule afternoon meetings for makers to protect creative flow. 7. Use the 4-Bullet Update Update with 4 points: what was done, requested asks, current blockers, and future improvements. Save hours in recurring meetings. 8. Finish meetings with Action Memos Detailing decisions, owners, and deadlines. ----- ♻️ Like, follow, and repost if this resonates. Follow Travis Bradberry and sign up for my weekly newsletter. Thanks to Ben Meer for this excellent list. Do you want more like this? 👇 📖 My new book, "The New Emotional Intelligence" is now 10% off on Amazon and it's already a bestseller.

Meetings are broken. 13 unconventional ideas to fix them: 93% of workers have complaints about their meetings. And even 71% of senior leaders say meetings are unproductive. The old ideas aren't working. We need more radical ones: 1) Ban them ↳Typically, meetings are the default - they happen and often ↳Flip it so they're taboo (not a full ban, but close), and only occur when truly justified 2) Restrict them ↳Assign days (like Monday and Friday) and times (before 10, after 3) when they're forbidden ↳The harder they are to schedule, the more people will question the necessity 3) Try email first ↳We've all heard "that meeting could have been an email" - so try it ↳Before sending a meeting invite, email participants the relevant info, and ensure everyone agrees a meeting is necessary 4) "No agenda, no attenda" ↳If there isn't a clear agenda with key decisions sent at least 24 hours before, the meeting is cancelled ↳Meetings without clear plans prevent preparation and ultimately take longer 5) Start at odd times ↳Never start a meeting at :00 or :30 - people will have something until RIGHT before and inevitably be late ↳Start at 9:07 a.m. or 1:33 p.m. to grab attention and ensure punctuality 6) Display a cost per minute ↳Calculate the hourly rate of all attendees and display the running cost of the meeting in real time ↳It reminds people that meetings don't cost an hour, they cost an hour TIMES the number of people TIMES their hourly rate 7) Ban phones ↳Removing phones and computers removes multitasking, and ensures everyone is fully present ↳It also requires people to come prepared, knowing they can't lean on notes 8) Remove chairs ↳Standing meetings encourage brevity and focus - and are better for everyone's health 9) Have a timer ↳Like a presidential debate or an Oscars award speech, each person gets a short amount of time and then gets cut off ↳No exceptions - have an audible timer 10) Use a 10-word rule ↳Everyone must start their turn by summarizing their key point in 10 words or less ↳Leading with the headline is comms 101, and it forces people to be clearer and more concise 11) Brainstorm silently ↳If new information or questions arise, allow 1 minute of silent brainstorming ↳This lets people clarify their thinking, avoids groupthink, and empowers introverted participants 12) Forbid follow-ups ↳All key takeaways and next steps must be captured in the meeting, agreed upon, and shared instantly ↳No "I'll send out the action items afterward" or "we'll have a follow-up meeting next week" 13) Reexamine the need ↳End the meeting by asking everyone whether it actually needed to happen and everyone needed to be there ↳Use those takeaways to further cut future meetings and limit group size The vast majority of workers think meetings need to change. You might not use all of these, But give some a try to start turning things around. Any others you'd add? --- ♻️ Repost to help fix more meetings. And follow me George Stern for more

We don't need more meetings, we need better ones. Here's how: Ever wonder what sets apart those game-changing meetings that leave everyone inspired and empowered? Here are 8 tried-and-tested rules straight from the playbook of Google's former CEO, Eric Schmidt, to transform your meetings into powerful moments of collaboration and innovation. Let's dive in: 1️⃣ Start with a Purpose: ↳ Every meeting should have a clear objective. ↳ What do you aim to achieve? ↳ Define your purpose upfront to ensure everyone's aligned and focused. 2️⃣ Keep it Lean & Mean: ↳ Respect everyone's time. ↳ Stick to the essentials and avoid unnecessary tangents. ↳ Efficiency breeds productivity! 3️⃣ Invite Only the Essentials: ↳ Less is more. Only invite individuals who truly contribute to the agenda. ↳ Quality over quantity leads to more impactful discussions. 4️⃣ Encourage Open Dialogue: ↳ Create a safe space for diverse perspectives. ↳ Encourage everyone to speak up and share their insights without fear of judgment. 5️⃣ Embrace Disagreement: ↳ Healthy debates spark innovation. ↳ Don't shy away from differing opinions; instead, leverage them to uncover new insights and solutions. 6️⃣ Set Actionable Takeaways: ↳ Ensure every meeting concludes with actionable next steps. ↳ Who's responsible for what? ↳ Clarify roles and responsibilities to drive progress. 7️⃣ Stay Flexible & Adapt: ↳ Be prepared to pivot if needed. ↳ Circumstances change, and so should your approach. ↳ Stay agile to keep moving forward. 8️⃣ Lead with Empathy: ↳ Above all, remember that behind every idea is a person. ↳ Show empathy, listen actively, and foster a culture of respect and understanding. 📌 PS...Remember, the true mark of a successful meeting isn't just in the notes you take or the tasks you assign—it's in the relationships you build and the impact you make. *** 👉 Want a high-res PDF of this cheat sheet? Try The Extra Mile Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gaewRGyj You'll get this cheat sheet + more for free.

Most managers suck at running team meetings. (but it doesn’t have to be that way) Bad meetings drain everyone’s energy. And sap productivity. I’ve tried every approach over 15+ years. But, the clear winner is an EOS-style meeting. EOS = Entrepreneurial Operating System (terrible name, but a great system) Here’s how to supercharge your team meetings. 👇 1) 𝗦𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗲 (5 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀): ↳ Everyone shares one personal and professional win. ↳ This builds connections and highlights progress. 2) 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 (5 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀): ↳ Out-of-office reminders & company  ↳ prospect-related information. 3) 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗱 (5 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀): ↳ Review every team member's scorecard ↳ Identify off-track metrics ↳ Add any roadblocks to an Issues List. 4) 𝗥𝗼𝗰𝗸 (90-𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀) 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 (5 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀): ↳Label each as Rock "on-track" or "off-track" ↳Add issues to the Issues List if needed. 5) 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗧𝗼-𝗗𝗼𝘀 (5 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀): ↳ Go through the team's To-Do list. ↳ Ensure tasks are completed ↳ Discuss any barriers to completion. 6) 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀 𝗜𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲𝘀 (30 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀): ↳ Dedicate most of the meeting the Issues List. ↳ Solve complex problems together ↳ Create new To-Dos to address them. 7) 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 (1-5 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀): ↳ Team members rate the meeting from 1-10. ↳ Any score under 8 requires feedback. That’s it my friends. Give it a try. You and your team will thank me later. What’s your favorite team meeting format? -- 👋 I’m Michael a CRO w/ $1B+ in exits. 📥 save it for later 💬 comment with your thoughts ♻️ repost if this was helpful.

🔥 Want to Run Meetings People Actually Want to Attend? 🔥 We’ve all left a meeting thinking: "That could’ve been an email." 😩 But here’s the hidden truth: 💡 The difference between time-wasting and high-impact meetings? It’s all about what happens before the meeting starts. ✅ PREPARATION is the unlock and the most overlooked leadership habit that instantly boosts alignment, collaboration, and impact. Here are 4 research-backed strategies to make your next meeting actually worth it 👇 1️⃣ Define the “Why” Clearly • Ask: “Would this be better solved asynchronously?” • If yes = email. If no = craft a clear purpose statement. 2️⃣ Curate the Guest List Thoughtfully • Invite only essential decision-makers. • Clarify: Who needs to inform? Who needs to decide? 3️⃣ Design the Experience Intentionally • Pre-circulate materials with clear reading guidance. • Structure the agenda around key decisions. 4️⃣ Set the Stage for Engagement • Assign pre-work to spark quality discussion. • Set expectations for participation in advance. As a professor, coach, and leadership advisor, I’m passionate about helping leaders and teams become more cohesive, high-performing, and resilient. ✨ When preparation becomes a habit, you’ll see: ✔️ Faster decision-making ✔️ More inclusive conversations ✔️ Better use of everyone’s time 🧠 Pro tip: The next time you schedule a meeting, spend 2x the time preparing. You’ll be amazed at the difference. 💬 Please share in the comments, what’s your #1 meeting prep tip or best practice? ⬇️ #Leadership #Coaching #ExecutivePresence #FutureOfWork #Innovation #Productivity #Thinkers50 #Coach #Professor #Advisor #MG100 #BestAdvice #JennyFernandez

🚀 Want to improve group meetings? Here’s what I’ve learned from trial and error: 1. Cancel non-essential meetings: 🗑️ If it’s not crucial, don’t schedule it! 2. Adjust start times: ⏰ Begin meetings 5 minutes after the hour or half-hour to allow breathing room between back-to-back meetings. 3. Clear titles: 🏷️ Title meeting invites with the subject, objective, day, and time zone. (Example: Project Alpha MVP Decision Tue 8/20 11am PST) 4. Agenda in advance: 📝 Provide a clear agenda in the invite or as a link/attachment. If the agenda will come later, let attendees know when to expect it and ensure it’s on time. 5. Pre-reads for decisions: 📄 If decisions are needed, send a pre-read 24 hours in advance and invite comments. 6. Engage and listen: 👂 Keep your intro short. Ask questions, encourage input, and take notes. “Talk Less Smile More” 7. Inclusive participation: 🙋 Ensure everyone has a chance to speak. Gently transition if someone is going on too long. 8. End early: ⏳ Aim to end 3-5 minutes early to give people unexpected free time. Start discussions promptly, manage raised hands, and summarize with next steps about 6 minutes before the end. Suggest async follow up for any remaining raised hands. #Leadership #Productivity #MeetingTips