It’s easy to have a whinge about meetings. Most of us have sat through a discussion that went nowhere, wondered why we were invited or left with more questions than we arrived with.
When this happens regularly, the cost extends beyond the time in the calendar. Work waits for decisions, people repeat conversations and teams become less willing to contribute. The way meetings are run can tell you a great deal about how an organisation operates.
Improving meeting culture starts with looking at what happens before, during and after people get together. Is the purpose understood? Can people question the thinking? Does anyone have authority to make a decision? And does the conversation lead to something useful?
What your meetings reveal about workplace culture
How you treat people’s time
A meeting without a defined purpose asks people to stop their work without explaining what their contribution will achieve. Regular late starts, unnecessary attendees and discussions that run over can become accepted habits.
Over time, these habits can send a message that people’s time matters less than the preferences of whoever called the meeting. Leaders set the expectation by preparing properly, inviting people deliberately and keeping the discussion focused.
Whose views are heard
When the same two people dominate every conversation, the organisation misses out on the experience and thinking of everyone else.
Some people are comfortable responding on the spot. Others contribute more when they have information beforehand and time to consider it. Sending a useful agenda, inviting different perspectives and giving people room to finish their point helps the team make better use of the expertise around the table.
Pay attention to what happens when someone disagrees, too. If their concern is dismissed or met with irritation, others may decide to keep their views to themselves.
How decisions are made
Recurring discussions can point to uncertainty about who has authority to decide. A team may understand the issue and agree that something needs to happen, but still leave without knowing who can approve the next step.
Before a decision-making meeting, establish what needs to be decided, who owns the decision and whose input is required. If the decision cannot be made yet, identify the missing information and agree who will obtain it.
Whether accountability carries through
If actions disappear between meetings, people learn that commitments are negotiable. The next meeting becomes another discussion about the same unresolved work.
A useful meeting ends with a shared understanding of what was agreed, who is responsible and when the team will hear about progress. Following through helps people trust that their contribution leads somewhere.
Five practical ways to improve meeting culture
1. Define the outcome before sending the invitation
An agenda heading such as “customer feedback” tells people the topic, but gives them little guidance about what they need to achieve.
“Agree which two customer service issues we will address this month” gives the discussion a purpose and helps people prepare.
Meetings can also be useful for learning, exploring an issue or building relationships. Whatever the purpose, make it explicit so people understand why they are there.
2. Match the format to the task
A straightforward update may work well in writing, while a sensitive issue, complex decision or discussion requiring several perspectives may benefit from a meeting.
Consider what people need to do with the information. If you need a conversation, allow time for one. If you need people to read an update, make it accessible and explain whether a response is required.
3. Invite people for a reason
Think about who needs to make the decision, contribute expertise or help deliver the outcome. Explain why their input is needed and share relevant information in advance.
People who need to know the result may be better served by a concise summary afterwards. Where a decision affects someone’s work, make sure their perspective is considered before it is finalised.
4. Make room for different thinking
Ask questions that test the discussion: “What are we overlooking?”, “Who sees this differently?” or “What would make this difficult to implement?”
Give people time to respond and avoid letting the most senior person’s view settle the discussion too early. For complex topics, consider gathering written input beforehand so everyone has an opportunity to contribute.
5. Close the loop
Before the meeting ends, confirm the decisions, actions, owners and timeframes. Where something remains unresolved, record what needs to happen next.
Share a brief summary and review progress at the agreed time. This reduces the chance of people leaving with different interpretations or revisiting the same conversation without moving forward.
Start with one recurring meeting
Choose a meeting your team attends regularly and review it together:
- What purpose does it serve?
- What useful decisions or outcomes has it produced recently?
- Are the right people involved?
- Can everyone contribute and disagree?
- What happens to the actions afterwards?
Use the answers to change the meeting’s purpose, format, attendance or frequency. If it no longer serves a useful purpose, remove it.
The way leaders run meetings becomes part of the way people work together. Thoughtful preparation, honest discussion and reliable follow-through help teams make decisions and get on with the work.
Build better leadership habits
If your meetings regularly stall, repeat the same conversations or leave issues unresolved, it may be useful to examine the leadership habits behind them.
Carole Cooper Consulting works with leaders and teams to strengthen decision-making, accountability and how people work together. Explore our culture and leadership services or have a culture conversation with our team.