By Jonathan H. Westover, PhD
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Abstract: This article discusses research-based best practices for planning and facilitating high-impact meetings. It outlines steps leaders can take to transform meetings from unproductive experiences to opportunities that further organizational goals. Planning meetings with clear objectives and an engaging agenda structure keeps discussions on track. Choosing facilitators with subject matter expertise, strong communication skills, and impartiality ensures meetings are informed and collaborative. Techniques like starting with icebreakers, posing open-ended questions, and paraphrasing contributions encourage participation from all attendees. While consensus is not required, debates should focus on facts rather than personal attacks. Communicating tangible next steps and outcomes provides crucial context on the meeting's value. The article also offers guidance for leading effective virtual meetings remotely through practices like establishing online norms and following up asynchronously. With a focus on engagement, outcomes, and continuous improvement, the article argues that even routine meetings can energize stakeholders.
Meetings are an inevitable part of organizational life. However, far too many meetings leave attendees feeling exhausted, dispirited and unproductive. Poorly run meetings waste valuable time and resources while also damaging employee morale and engagement. As leaders, it is our responsibility to ensure meetings are conducted efficiently and effectively.
Today we will explore research-based best practices for planning and facilitating high-impact meetings.
Planning Purposeful Meetings
The first step in improving meetings is intentional planning. Research shows defining clear objectives upfront improves outcomes (Schwartzman, 1986). Before scheduling a meeting, leaders should ask:
What is the purpose of this meeting?
What decisions need to be made or information shared?
How will the meeting progress the organizational mission and strategy?
If answers are vague, the meeting may not be necessary. Defining concrete goals helps focus the agenda and keeps discussions on track.
Creating an Engaging Agenda
Once objectives are set, crafting an engaging agenda is crucial. Research finds structured agendas that include timing for each item increase participant engagement and satisfaction (Nunez, 2014). Leaders at a tech startup incorporate the following best practices into their meeting agendas:
Clearly stating the meeting purpose and objectives at the top.
Listing timed agenda items in a logical flow toward objectives.
Noting who will lead each discussion to ensure accountability.
Allowing space for questions and comments at the end.
This agenda structure keeps their brainstorming and planning sessions productive. Participants report feeling focused yet encouraged to contribute.
Choosing an Effective Facilitator
Research demonstrates the facilitator largely determines a meeting's success (Goman, 2017). At a healthcare nonprofit, the VP selects facilitators based on three criteria:
Subject matter expertise - Those knowledgeable on agenda topics facilitate best.
Communication skills - Strong listeners who encourage participation excel.
Impartiality - Facilitators without biases on agenda items remain neutral.
This system ensures informed, attentive facilitators who welcome diverse perspectives—leading to collaborative problem-solving.
Engaging Participation
While preparation lays the foundation, actively engaging attendees determines a meeting's value. Research shows participatory discussions yield higher quality decisions than top-down presentations alone (Tannenbaum & Yukl, 1992). To maximize contribution:
Start with icebreakers or social questions to build comfort. Leaders at a manufacturing firm find brief "fun facts" segments energize introverted staffers.
Pose clear, open-ended questions to prompt thoughtful answers. An education nonprofit director probes "What have you learned?" rather than "Anything to add?" motivating reflection.
Call on quiet voices to ensure inclusion. The HR director at a energy company uses name-cards to politely call on those who haven't spoken, involving all viewpoints.
Paraphrase contributions to validate participation. Showing participants you heard their input encourages further engagement, as demonstrated at a digital marketing agency.
These techniques create a psychologically safe, participatory environment where every voice feels valued—the hallmark of impactful discussions.
Encouraging Productive Debate
While inclusive, meetings still require forward motion. Research finds that constructive debate—not consensus—typically spawns the best solutions (Putman & Stohl, 1990). Leaders should welcome temporary disagreements by:
Reminding participants debate enhances rather than hinders progress. An account executive leads a client brainstorm with this gentle reassurance.
Focusing on facts rather than personal attacks. The COO at a financial firm redirects off-topic sidebar debates back to substantiated claims.
Summarizing different perspectives rather than choosing sides. At a higher ed institution, department heads reflect back diverse viewpoints to further understanding.
Voting or prioritizing top ideas if needed. Allowing an up or down decision resolves disagreements democratically when full consensus stalls.
By embracing some friction productively, meetings avoid shallow agreements and instead surface innovative, data-backed recommendations—satisfying stakeholders in the end.
Demonstrating Tangible Outcomes
For meetings to avoid a "soul-crushing" reputation, attendees must leave feeling their time was well-spent. Research indicates communicating tangible next steps boosts perceived meeting effectiveness (Rogelberg et al., 2006). A marketing director ensures this by:
Reviewing decisions made and action items assigned.
Noting who is responsible, timelines, and expectations.
Highlighting how outputs will aid strategy and mission work.
Circulating formal meeting minutes for wider distribution.
These wrap-ups provide crucial context on the meeting's value. Staff then see how their inputs directly informed the organization's progress—creating intrinsic motivation to engage fully next time as well.
Making Adjustments for Virtual Meetings
The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the shift to virtual meetings, requiring new facilitation skills. Research on leading remote meetings offers guidance:
Establish online engagement norms. A professor starts each Zoom class by setting expectations for participation.
Over-communicate. Anabel, VP of a software company, checks in regularly via chat to ensure understanding.
Use polling or chat functions. A recruiting manager polls candidates' comfort levels to adjust pacing remotely.
Allow breaks. A director builds five-minute breaks every hour into longer virtual workshops to prevent fatigue.
Follow up asynchronously. An HR leader emails recap videos after each virtual all-hands to include those unable to attend live.
These virtual adaptations maintain interactivity and productivity when teams cannot meet face-to-face—showing soul-crushing meetings remain avoidable regardless of format.
Conclusion
Transformational leadership requires transforming meetings from perfunctory encounters into fertile grounds for progress. By grounding facilitation techniques in organizational psychology research and practice, meetings can energize stakeholders through purposeful planning, inclusive participation, productive debate and clear communication of outcomes. With a focus on engagement, forward motion and tangible results, even the most bureaucratic required meetings may be reframed as opportunities to drive strategy and foster collaboration across departments. Leaders who view meetings as core to their role will see productivity, morale and performance improvements in turn. Most importantly, no staff member needs suffer through pointless, spirit-crushing sessions on their watch again.
References
Goman, C. K. (2017). What good leadership looks like: The facilitator factor. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2017/08/what-good-leadership-looks-like-the-facilitator-factor
Nunez, M. (2014). Making meetings matter: Best practices for engaging agendas. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-social-thinker/201407/making-meetings-matter-best-practices-engaging-agendas
Putman, L. L., & Stohl, C. (1990). Bona fide groups: A reconceptualization of groups in context. Communication Studies, 41(3), 248–265. https://doi.org/10.1080/10510939009368309
Rogelberg, S. G., Scott, C. W., & Kello, J. (2007). The science and fiction of meetings. MIT Sloan Management Review, 48(2), 18–21.
Schwartzman, H. B. (1986). The meeting as a neglected social form in organizational studies. Research in Organizational Behavior, 8, 233–258.
Tannenbaum, R., & Yukl, G. (1992). Training and development in work organizations. Annual Review of Psychology, 43(1), 399–441. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ps.43.020192.002151
Jonathan H. Westover, PhD is Chief Academic & Learning Officer (HCI Academy); Chair/Professor, Organizational Leadership (UVU); OD Consultant (Human Capital Innovations). Read Jonathan Westover's executive profile here.
Suggested Citation: Westover, J. H. (2024). How to Fix the Most Soul-Crushing Meetings. Human Capital Leadership Review, 12(2). doi.org/10.70175/hclreview.2020.12.2.1
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