From Time-Suck to Strategic Asset: How Great Leaders Run Meetings People Want to Attend

We’ve all been in those meetings… the ones that drag on, happen far too often, and somehow still don’t move the work forward. They’re so common that just hearing the word “meeting” can make people roll their eyes. More than simply boring, unfocused meetings quietly drain productivity, burn out talent, and slow down strategic decisions.

But meetings can be remade. With a few simple shifts, they can become one of your most powerful leadership tools to engage and align your organization. Rather than just a download of information, think of team meetings as a way to unleash creative thinking, invite real participation, and share the critical information people need to act.

Here are some concrete ideas for turning meetings into events people actually want to attend. These are tools I use in my own business and in my consulting work—small, practical steps that, practiced regularly, can quietly but powerfully transform how you lead.

Agenda: design the meeting to use time wisely

Create an agenda and let people add items to it before it's formalized, if appropriate. When people help shape the agenda, they show up more invested in the issues and outcomes. Send it around the day before the meeting with a short note perhaps, to explain why certain items didn't make it onto the agenda.

Review the agenda at the start of the meeting. 

Check-in: align energy and focus

Begin meetings with a short check-in: a quick round where everyone has a chance to speak. Ask a simple question like, “How are you coming in today?” or something lighter such as, “Share a metaphor for what your day has been like so far.” A brief check-in like this helps people arrive, connect, and shift their attention to the work. Be inventive and keep the questions easy and low-stakes—aim for simple, fun prompts rather than anything that asks people to reveal personal or intimate details.

Norms: enable candid debate

Group norms govern interactions and behaviour in meetings, as in not talking over others, listening respectfully, respecting everyone's time, etc.  If your team does not already have them, creating them is a great group activity. It's also a good time for leaders to establish the non-negotiables such as harassment and disrespect, etc.  A good practice is to review the norms at the beginning of meetings and ask if anyone has something they think should be added.

Below is a list of norms I have used successfully many times.

Suggested ways of being in your conversations with each other:

• suspend judgment as best you can

• seek to understand rather than persuade

• invite and honour diverse opinions

• speak what has personal heart and meaning

• go for honesty and depth without going on and on and on

Structure: balance information, decisions, and discussion

It’s important to structure a meeting so there’s enough time to cover key topics, share essential information, and invite participation. Build in time for questions, comments, and discussion so you can tap into the ideas and insights in the room. Managing time well—especially in shorter meetings—can be tricky at first, but like any leadership skill, it gets easier and more effective with practice.

Sometimes you have to deliver unpleasant news in a meeting. When you do, build in time for people to react and express their concerns. It can be hard to sit with those emotions, but as a leader you know that transparency and honesty fundamentally shape how people experience difficult moments. Taking the time to stay present—rather than “dropping” bad news and rushing out—goes a long way toward building trust. When leaders skip this step, it can create deep and lasting resentment that lingers in the organization for years.

Keep people in the loop! Use meetings to prevent siloes

When it’s appropriate, a quick round-the-table update can be a powerful way to keep people aligned. A brief “here’s what I’m working on” helps team members feel seen, reduces duplication of effort, and improves communication across the team and the wider organization.

One of the most effective formats for this comes from the tech world: the daily stand-up. It revolves around three simple questions:

1. What did you accomplish yesterday?

2. What are you working on today?

3. Is anything blocking your progress?

   
   

This structure can be adapted for teams in any industry to ensure people get the support they need and keep work moving. The key is to be concise and focused—this is not the time to walk through your entire to-do list.

Use meetings to build a culture of learning

Including a short presentation or a learning moment of some kind - either by you, a team member, or an outside expert, is a great way to illustrate that you prioritize learning. Introduce a new platform or technology, a review of a recent project (what did we learn, what did we do well, and what will we do better next time), time management or communication skills, coaching principles, and so on. The sky's the limit!

End it right

Ideally, all meetings should close out with a quick one-minute checkout like “how are you leaving”, or “what are you taking away with you”, etc.

A couple cautionary notes

To foster a genuine sense of inclusion in meetings, be intentional about how airtime is shared. Set clear expectations for how long people have to speak so everyone understands the need to be concise and make space for others. Actively discourage interrupting and talking over colleagues. If needed, you can use simple tools—a timer, a visible speaking order, or even a “talking object” that indicates who has the floor—to help keep the conversation balanced and respectful.

Be aware of those who remain silent. Silence is not consent in a meeting. Taking time to hear from everyone may require patience and prompting, but when people know that you value hearing from them, eventually they will speak up.

Last note

Consider letting others chair the meetings, at least from time to time. Some organizations have a schedule of rotating chairs so that everyone learns how to run a meeting.

When people experience your “meeting magic,” they’ll be surprised by how focused, engaging, and useful your time together becomes—and they’ll actually look forward to being in the room. And if you want to really up your game, don’t underestimate the power of small touches like snacks or coffee; they signal that you value people’s time and energy.

🪄 Meeting Magic Checklist

1. Agenda – Share in advance and invite input.

2. Check-in – Quick round to connect the group’s energy.

3. Norms – Revisit shared agreements for participation and respect.

4. Structure – Balance information sharing, discussion, and decisions.

5. Learning Moment – End or include a short learning share or reflection.

6. Checkout – Quick closing round (“What are you taking away?”).