You’ve sat through meetings that should have been emails. We all have. Someone’s talking. It’s tangentially related to the topic. Time’s bleeding away.
Now imagine you’re the one running the meeting. Are you making people’s time worth it?
Meeting leaders set the tone for workplace culture. Effective meetings build momentum. Ineffective ones kill morale and productivity. And the difference isn’t complicated.
Why Bad Meetings Are a Leadership Problem
According to research, the average manager spends 23 hours per week in meetings. If half are unproductive, that’s 11 hours per week wasted. Multiply that across a team, and you’re talking massive productivity loss.
But here’s what matters more: bad meetings signal bad leadership. Employees see a disorganized meeting and think: “This manager doesn’t respect my time.” That erodes trust.
Effective meetings? They show respect. They signal competence. They build credibility.
The 5 Laws of Effective Meeting Leadership
Law 1: Have a Reason
Before you schedule: “Why are we meeting?”
If you can’t answer clearly, you don’t need one. Can it be email? Is it just status updates? (That’s email.) Cancel it.
Clear meeting purpose: “Decide on Q1 priorities.” “Resolve the technical blocker on Project X.” “Brainstorm campaign ideas.”
If everyone doesn’t know WHY they’re there, they shouldn’t be.
Law 2: Invite Only Essentials
More people = longer meetings. Period.
Ask: Who MUST be here? Everyone else can get notes.
Rule of thumb: Invite one person more than you think necessary, never more.
Law 3: Agenda First
Send it 24 hours before, with time allocations.
Example:
- Q1 priorities decision (20 min)
- Project X blocker discussion (15 min)
- Next steps (10 min)
Timing gives people permission to interrupt: “We’re at 12 minutes on the budget topic, let’s table and move on.”
Law 4: Start On Time, End Early
Starting late disrespects everyone. If you say 9 AM, you start at 9 AM, not 9:05 while waiting for stragglers.
Ending early? That’s leadership gold. “We resolved this in 18 minutes, so let’s end here.” People will love your meetings.
Law 5: Document Decisions
Meeting notes aren’t optional. They’re how you show respect for time spent.
Send within 24 hours:
- What we decided
- Who’s doing what
- Due dates
- Next meeting date
No notes = no accountability. No follow-up = meeting was pointless.
Common Meeting Mistakes
Mistake 1: The Meeting That Should Have Been Email
Status updates, announcements, FYI information = Email.
Mistake 2: No Clear Outcome
You end and everyone’s unsure what they’re supposed to do next.
Mistake 3: Letting One Person Dominate
As the leader, it’s your job to balance airtime.
Mistake 4: Scheduling Too Long
If you need 90 minutes, you don’t have an agenda. You have a to-do list. Break it into smaller meetings.
Mistake 5: Not Following Up
You said Sarah would do X by Friday. Nobody checked. Now it’s 3 weeks later.
The Meeting Types Worth Having
Decision Meetings: Purpose is to decide. End when decided.
Brainstorm Meetings: Purpose is ideas. Capture them, follow up asynchronously.
Status Meetings: Quick syncs. 15 minutes max.
1-on-1s: Relationship and growth. Sacred time.
All-hands: Company updates. Keep it short, let people ask questions.
FAQ: Meeting Questions
Q: Is it okay to cancel a recurring meeting?
A: Yes. If it’s not adding value, cancel it.
Q: What if someone’s not prepared?
A: Reschedule. Preparation matters.
Q: How do I handle someone hijacking the meeting?
A: Redirect: “That’s important, let’s table it and cover after.” Keep control.
The Real Win
When you run tight, respectful meetings, people want to attend. They trust you. They know their time matters.
That’s influence. That’s leadership.
Your turn: What’s your biggest meeting pet peeve? Share in the comments
