Engaging Everyone in Meetings
January 17, 2023
The universal purposes of meetings are to share information and make decisions. The best decision-making meetings engage all attendees in the discussion. Yet, attendees sometimes offer so many ideas there is no time left to make a decision. Or, the push to make a decision quickly doesn’t offer space for the sharing of relevant information. If you are wondering how your next meeting can address both aspects of an effective meeting, read on.
- Be clear on the purpose of the meeting by precisely stating what you want to achieve by the end.
- Then, divide the attendees into groups of 2 to 4 and give them a specific task. For example, ‘List 5 benefits of the merger we are considering” or ‘List 3 program ideas for our monthly meetings”.
- Ask the small group members to list their ideas on a flipchart in large print. Post them at the front of the room.
- Ask the participants to identify ideas that appear on multiple flipcharts and list the themes on a summary flipchart.
- Now that everyone has thought about the topic at hand, shared their ideas, and heard diverse input, dig a little deeper. Encourage whole room discussion by asking open-ended questions such as “What value will this idea add to the project?” or “How can we access these resources”.
- After there has been some discussion around each theme on the summary flipchart, ask “What questions or concerns haven’t been addressed yet?”
- Now attendees are likely ready for a vote or a consensus decision.
Since all meeting attendees have been involved and informed, they are more likely to buy-in to the decision and support its implementation. Engaging meetings are a great success for the organization and the team members!
Most leaders don’t struggle because they don’t care. They struggle because engagement feels hard to influence. But when people are engaged, the impact is hard to ignore: 18% higher sales 23% higher profitability 70% higher wellbeing These differences come from comparing the 25% of organizations with the strongest employee engagement to those in the bottom 25% (Gallup). And the stakes are bigger than most realize— disengaged employees cost U.S. organizations nearly $2 trillion in lost productivity each year (Gallup). This isn’t about perks or programs. It’s about how people are led every day. Engaged teams are clearer on expectations. They feel supported. They know their work matters. And most importantly—those conditions don’t happen by accident. They’re created in conversations: Clarifying priorities Reinforcing what good looks like Checking for understanding Following through consistently Small leadership habits drive big business outcomes. A question to consider: Where could stronger day-to-day leadership conversations improve results in your team? 👉 Join our next 60-minute Leadership Conversation: Inspiring High Performance — Monday, April 13 th at 3:00 PM ET (this is not a webinar) It’s a small-group discussion with other leaders looking at a simple question: What’s actually driving engagement—and what’s quietly holding it back? If a shift in leadership could impact sales, profitability, and wellbeing… it’s worth exploring what that might look like in your world.
Most leaders don’t struggle because they lack knowledge. They struggle because leadership opportunities show up in daily conversations —and those moments are easy to miss. The difference between average and high-performing teams often comes down to four leadership behaviors: 1. Build Trust Through Everyday Conversations Trust is built in small moments. Listen to concerns Ask thoughtful questions Follow through Address issues quickly and respectfully 🤝 Trust grows through consistent, everyday conversations. 2. Reinforce What Good Looks Like People repeat what gets recognized. Be specific: “I appreciated how you handled that client issue quickly—that made a difference.” 🔒 Clarity + recognition = stronger performance. 3. Address Problems Early—Kindly and Clearly Avoiding issues creates bigger ones. Keep it simple: What was expected? What happened? What needs to change? 👥 Clear, timely conversations reduce drama and improve results. 4. Support People So They Can Succeed Your role is to help your team succeed. Clarify priorities Remove obstacles Provide resources Coach progress 🔍 When people have clarity and support, performance follows. The Real Lever: Conversations None of this requires new systems. It happens in everyday interactions— 1:1s, quick check-ins, and follow-ups. Better conversations → better results. Quick Reflection Which one would make the biggest difference for you right now? Build trust Reinforce performance Address problems early Support success 👉 Join our next 60-minute Leadership Conversation – Inspiring Employee Performance on Monday, April 6, at 3:00 pm ET. Not a webinar. A working session with other leaders looking at what’s actually happening on their teams—and how small shifts in daily conversations change performance fast. If you're curious what even a 10% shift in consistency could look like for your team… this is a good place to start.