A web search for “requirements for an effective meeting” delivers results ranging from 4 to 12 key elements. Typical requirements include: meeting purpose, share an agenda ahead of time, keep on time and on topic, clear action items, and written follow up. All important items, but the one thing that determines a meeting’s success more than anything else is how you show up as a leader.
The first and foremost requirement for leadership presence is self-awareness and self-regulation. The manner and demeanour you bring to the meeting is the message to your team about how the meeting will play out. Every facial expression, pose and tone of voice is interpreted as a signal of how you want the meeting to go. People are exceptional people readers; they only rely on words for 7% of the messaging.
Bring focused energy and others will draw from your energy and give their best insights. Show up in a sullen mood and the meeting can’t end soon enough. If you want to get the best out of your team, you need to be at your best.
Three ways you can ensure a productive meeting:
1. Be aware of your emotions and control how you respond to them. You do have control over this, but it is a lifelong pursuit so study and learn methods that help you to understand and appropriately respond to your emotions. Managing this part of you increases your ability to show up as the focused leader your team needs.
2. Let someone else lead the meeting. If you can’t adjust to an overwhelming issue you are dealing with, then ask someone else to lead the meeting. No one likes to get the call 10 minutes before a meeting, but if it is a standing meeting a few hours ahead may be OK as long as you have established the habit of having others lead meetings (see point 3).
3. Regularly Appoint others to lead meetings. Give others an opportunity to lead meetings. Start with meetings that have a topic that is comfortable for them – something they are the resident experts in or have experience with. You can expand out from there by letting others lead meetings where no one is the expert. This is an easy way for you to do your job of developing your team and is your way of expressing that development is more important than hierarchy.
