“I was stuck in meetings.”
It’s the default answer for how senior leaders spend the majority of their time. But spending time in meetings — and not knowing how to run an effective meeting either — is wreaking havoc on organizational productivity.
That isn’t just my opinion: Atlassian recently surveyed 5,000 knowledge workers across four continents and their findings were eye-opening:
We can do so much better.
To be fair, meetings can serve a purpose — when they’re done well. They provide opportunities for collaboration, decision-making, and connection. But too often, they undermine job performance and morale instead of driving alignment and results.
Inspired by practices from leaders I admire, I wanted to share a few things I’ve learned about how to kick off and wrap up meetings in a way that keeps teams inspired and on track:
Not all meetings are created equal. Understanding the types of meetings can help you tailor your approach:
Each type of meeting requires a different approach, but they all benefit from clear goals, preparation, and accountability.
An effective meeting follows a clear structure. Here’s a proven format to keep your team engaged and productive:
Every effective team meeting begins with a clear purpose. Before you schedule that recurring meeting, ask yourself:
Avoid vague objectives like “status updates,” “sharing information,” or “discussions.” Instead, define what success looks like and align the agenda accordingly. A concise agenda with specific agenda items sets the tone for a productive session.
What do you need to accomplish at this meeting? What are the decisions that need to be made? And what’s the shortest amount of time you need to make that happen? The arbitrary one-hour meeting assignment should evolve. We schedule them in 15-minute intervals because that’s way more efficient.
Begin by recognizing wins or highlighting success stories. Whether it’s a team achievement, a client milestone, or individual contributions, starting on a high note energizes the room and reinforces positive behaviors.
Tie the meeting to a core value like teamwork, innovation, or growth. Highlight someone who exemplifies that value to create alignment and inspiration. Don’t miss opportunities to include customer outcomes and testimonials. Afterall, that’s who we’re assembled to serve!
Use the middle portion of the meeting for brainstorming, collaboration, and tackling challenges. Ensure all meeting participants feel heard and that discussions remain focused on the agenda.
Close by reflecting on key takeaways, expressing gratitude, and ensuring clarity on next steps. This builds accountability and leaves everyone feeling seen, understood, valued, and committed.
A successful meeting doesn’t just end; it concludes with clarity and connection. Recap key points, thank participants for their contributions, and confirm that everyone understands their next steps.
Use this three-question framework to guide your close:
When you end meetings with purpose and gratitude, you foster accountability and strengthen team morale.
Distractions from devices can undermine even the best-planned meetings. Implementing a no-device policy can help ensure that team members remain present and engaged.
Laptops and phones often encourage multitasking. But research shows that multitasking significantly reduces productivity — and we’re actually terrible at it. As a meeting leader, set expectations upfront:
This policy might feel old-school, but it’s a simple way to improve meeting effectiveness.
Give the no-device policy a test. Encourage people to be present and engaged, and watch the productivity of meetings for your team improve dramatically.
Effective team meetings isn’t just about keeping things on schedule—it’s about driving real impact. These essential skills are what separate great meeting leaders from the rest:
These skills aren’t just about running smooth meetings—they’re about elevating team performance and making every minute count.
Here are some of the most common issues in meetings and how to address them:
Meetings often fail because participants and team leaders aren’t prepared. Share pre-meeting materials and ensure everyone knows what’s expected. And if you can’t articulate the purpose of the meeting in one sentence, cancel it.
A key component of meeting management is ensuring that the right people are discussing the right topics. Large organizations should take a page from the Amazon playbook and roll with the two-pizza rule for meetings. That means not having more people in the room than could be fed by two pizzas. And make sure that those participants prioritize the most important agenda items and save less critical topics for separate discussions.
Also, it doesn’t hurt to serve actual pizza sometimes.
You spent the time meeting. Now it’s time to take action. Ensure all action items are documented and shared immediately after the meeting.
Meetings don’t have to be a waste of time. By prioritizing preparation, purpose, and engagement, you can transform them into powerful tools for collaboration and decision-making.
The next time you step into a meeting, think about how you can bring more energy, structure, and focus. With these strategies, you’ll not only run effective team meetings — you’ll also inspire and empower your team to achieve more.