334. Quick Thinks: How to Make the Most Out of Meetings

“Meetings are often used as band-aids, as ways of covering up for other larger communication challenges.” Few things feel better than seeing a meeting canceled. But what if meetings were something we actually looked forward to? A productive meeting doesn't happen by accident. It starts with knowing whether you need one at all, continues with a clear purpose and thoughtful structure, and ends with everyone knowing what comes next. In this Quick Thinks episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart https://www.fastersmarter.io/, Matt Abrahams breaks down what makes meetings work. He shares strategies for creating smarter agendas, making space for every voice, and turning discussions into decisions and action, so your next meeting is worth the time on everyone's calendar. Takeaways: The best meetings start before anyone enters the room. Question whether a meeting is necessary, establish clear goals, and create a focused agenda that respects everyone's time and sets expectations for success. Effective meetings turn discussion into action. Encourage participation, manage time thoughtfully, and close with clear decisions and next steps. Following up afterward ensures conversations lead to meaningful results. Activity: Rethink your agenda. Take an upcoming meeting agenda and rearrange the topics by difficulty: medium first, most challenging second, and easiest last. Give each item a clear outcome, whether it's a decision, discussion, or update, to help keep the meeting focused and productive. Episode Reference Links: Ep.261 Meetings With a Point: How to Design For Better Decisions https://www.fastersmarter.io/261-meetings-with-a-point-how-to-design-for-better-decisions/ Connect: Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium https://www.fastersmarter.io/premium/Email Questions & Feedback >>> [email protected] Transcripts >>>Think Fast Talk Smart Website https://www.fastersmarter.io/334-quick-thinks-how-to-make-the-most-out-of-meetings/Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>>FasterSmarter.io http://fastersmarter.io/Think Fast Talk Smart >>>LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/think-fast-talk-smart/,Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thinkfasttalksmart/, YouTube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6caGRBUYZCmgDGM2RK6mxKB9jG_ccmm3Matt Abrahams >>>LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/maabrahams/ https://learning.fastersmarter.io/?redirect_from=podpageChapters: (00:00) - Introduction (00:43) - Is a Meeting Necessary (01:55) - Set Goals & Create an Agenda (03:56) - Choose the Right Attendees (04:35) - Make the Most of Calendar Invites (05:08) - Optimize Meeting Length & Time (06:56) - Start Meetings Effectively (07:40) - Facilitate Participation (08:21) - Managing Hybrid Meetings (09:23) - End Meetings with Purpose (10:05) - Following Up After Meetings (11:04) - Conclusion ******** Thank you to our sponsors. These partnerships support the ongoing production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost. Strawberry.me. https://strawberry.me/quiz?isDirect=1&promotionCode=smart&utm_source=smart Get 50% off your first coaching session today at Strawberry.me/smart https://strawberry.me/quiz?isDirect=1&promotionCode=smart&utm_source=smart Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be. https://learning.fastersmarter.io/?redirect_from=podpage

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:00Matt Abrahams?

  Hi, Matt here. I wanted to remind you that for each episode, we provide English language learning support, where we share useful information to help you develop your English skills. Check out these English language learning and other resources along with our newsletter and deep dive videos at fastersmarter.io under Resources. And now a word from our sponsors. Their support covers the cost of production, allowing us to bring you this episode free of charge.

• 0:28Matt Abrahams?

  The real value of coaching is what it helps you see and what it helps you do differently. I have been coached and I have coached others. And for me, the value is clarity. Seeing what you're doing well, where you're getting in your own way and what you can do differently. And if you're watching this, I'm guessing you're someone who wants to keep improving. That might mean communicating with more confidence, becoming a stronger leader, or getting clearer about your next career move. strawberry.me is like therapy for your career. They match you with a coach who fits your goals and gives you practical, personalized guidance you can actually use. It's all designed to make coaching more financially accessible. And because it's online, you can use it from anywhere in the world.

• 1:12Matt Abrahams?

  Visit strawberry.me/smart to get 50% off of your session and make sure you tell them Matt sent you. You know that feeling of joy and relief when a meeting gets canceled from your calendar? It doesn't have to be that way. Meetings can be effective. I'm Matt Abraham's and I teach strategic communication at Stanford Graduate School of Business. Welcome to this Quick Thinks episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, the podcast.

• 1:43Matt Abrahams?

  I'm often asked how to make meetings better. So today, I'd like to share with you what we can do to improve our meetings and have a positive experience and positive results after them.

• 1:56Matt Abrahams?

  When it comes to planning for meetings, we have to think about the three stages, what we do before, during, and after. The very first thing we have to do when it comes to meetings is we have to ask ourselves, do we really need it? Meetings are often used as Band-Aids, as ways of covering up for other larger communication challenges. I once was brought in to consult at an organization that was having at least three meetings a day for most people. And those meetings were bringing in 20, 30 people. Why was that? They didn't have effective means for communicating decisions and the thoughts that the senior leaders were having. As soon as we developed those means,

• 2:38Matt Abrahams?

  all of a sudden, the number of meetings disappeared. Ask yourself one fundamental question. What is the best way to convey this information? Is it by convening a team and having a discussion? There are many cases where that is the answer. Making decisions, ideating, lots of reasons to convene people. But there are lots of things we do that we don't need to pull people together. For example, giving updates. There are lots of creative ways to get updates out to people without having to have everybody sit in a room or on a Zoom to learn. So question number one is, do we actually need the meeting? Once you've decided that that meeting is needed, you need to think of what the clear goal for the meeting is at the highest level. And you know, if you've listened to me in the past,

• 3:23Matt Abrahams?

  that I believe goals have three parts, no, feel, do. What do you want people to know as the result of the meeting? How do you want them to feel? And what are the things you want them to do? You need to clearly be able to articulate this to help with the next step. Because the next step is to take that goal and think about how do you operationalize it? You have to create an agenda. I'm a huge fan of structure in all communication. An agenda is the structure for meetings. To me, a good agenda has several components. First, it lists the topic in a very clear way. Second, who is in charge of that topic? Who will be facilitating or delivering the information? How long will they have? This helps set some boundaries. And you should identify what is going to happen

• 4:08Matt Abrahams?

  as a result of that agenda item. Is it, we're going to make a decision? Is it for information only? Or is it for discussion? By helping people in advance know what the topic is, how long we're spending, who's in charge of it, and what the outcome will be, people can be better prepared.

• 4:26Matt Abrahams?

  You then have to think about what is the order of the agenda items? There's actually interesting research on this. Most of us have a tendency to put the easiest thing first as a way of ramping us up. Well, unfortunately, in meetings, there's this notion of time entropy. We tend to expand and take more time than we need. And if we're spending more time on the simple task, it leaves less time for the more challenging and complex tasks. So what the research suggests is if you were to have three different topics, one that's easy, one that's medium level complexity, and one that's really challenging, you should put the medium level complexity one first, then move to the most difficult and end with the simplest.

• 5:10Matt Abrahams?

  So think through not only what the agenda is, but the order in which those items appear. That can help. Finally, you need to think about who is attending the meeting. Who you invite and who you require really makes a difference. It signals to people the importance. And you want to respect people's time. So only invite people that are critical. Now, there might be people who need to be notified of the outcome of the meeting. That's fine. Don't invite them to the meeting. You might want to even list, these are the people who will receive the output of the meeting. This planning upfront will increase the likelihood that your meetings will be effective and that people will respect that there's value happening. So we start by thinking, do we need the meeting? What's our goal? No, feel, do.

• 5:54Matt Abrahams?

  And then we create our agenda. The next step before we actually have the meeting is we have to announce it. I believe one of the most underutilized expectation setting tools we have, especially when it comes to meetings and presentations, is the calendar invite. What do you call your meeting? It's important to have a meeting that has action. Many of us have an allergy to the word meeting. So don't call your gathering a meeting. Call it something else. Give it an action. Define the decision that's being made or the ideas that are being generated. You don't have to use the word meeting. You have to think about the time that the meeting will take place, both how long and what time of day. When it comes to length of meeting, it's pretty easy math. You just figure out the agenda items.

• 6:39Matt Abrahams?

  And by the way, a meeting doesn't have to be only 30 minutes or an hour. You can set up a meeting that's 20 minutes, 50 minutes. We don't have to fall victim to the way calendars schedule timing of meetings. In fact, there's some research that says a time compressed meeting, a meeting that is scheduled for a little less time than it really should take, motivates people to be more efficient. So how long should also be something that you put in the calendar invite? Now, you should think about when the meeting takes place. You want people to be fresh and able to focus and not rushing around. It might serve you well to spend a few minutes checking on some of the key attendees calendars to see where your meeting fits in. And maybe you move it

• 7:24Matt Abrahams?

  to where people aren't coming from something or needing to rush off to something else. So the calendar invite is really important. Additionally, on the calendar invite, I like to put if any tools are going to be used. Let's say we're going to use a specific technology in the meeting. I like to list that and maybe even put a link to a YouTube video or other educational video to help people know how to use that tool. So I don't have to become tech support to help people learn that tool.

• 7:53Matt Abrahams?

  And we're going to talk about this in just a minute when we talk about actually running the meeting. But if you have any specific ground rules, like content stays only in the meeting or we want cameras on if we're virtual, it's a good idea to put them in the calendar invite and on the agenda as well. So those are the things we do in advance. There's a lot of work to setting up a likely successful meeting. You have to spend time working on that. We'll be right back to finish our conversation. But first, we're going to take a quick break for a word from our sponsors. Their support covers the cost of production so we can bring you this show for free. This podcast is sponsored by Squarespace. The best communicators don't just get their message across. They make it easy for people to know what to do next. Your website can do the same thing.

• 8:38Matt Abrahams?

  With Squarespace, you can build a polished online presence that clearly shows people who you are, what you offer, and how they can work with you. If you offer coaching, consulting, classes, or other services, Squarespace lets you showcase those offerings, take payments, and use Acuity Scheduling so people can book time with you directly. And with built-in analytics, you can see how people are finding and engaging with your site, helping you make smarter decisions about where to focus. So your online presence doesn't just look professional. It helps people take action. Go to squarespace.com/thinkfast for a free trial. And when you're ready to launch, use offer code THINKFAST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

• 9:24Matt Abrahams?

  One thing I've noticed about better sleep is how much it changes the way I show up the next day. I'm more focused, more patient, and better able to think and communicate clearly. And for me, that's where my Leesa mattress has made a real difference. I've been sleeping more comfortably and setting in more easily at night, which matters because sleep has never been something I take for granted. What I also appreciate is that Leesa doesn't take a one-size-fit-all approach. Their mattresses are designed around different sleep positions and feel preferences. And their sleep quiz can help you find the right match in less than two minutes. Plus, they offer free shipping, easy returns, and a 365-night sleep trial. Go to leesa.com for up to 30% off mattresses. Plus, get an extra

• 10:08Matt Abrahams?

  50% off with promo code THINKFAST, exclusive for our listeners. That's leesa, L-E-E-S-A dot com, promo code THINKFAST, for up to 30% off mattresses plus an extra $50 off. Let them know that we sent you at the survey at the end of checkout.

• 10:28Matt Abrahams?

  Now, in the meeting itself, it's important to congregate and get people started right away. It is in your best interest to start on time because that sends a signal. It sends a signal that we start on time and hopefully we end on time. Those who show up late, while it can be difficult to integrate them in, you're teaching a lesson there. So I'm a big fan of starting meetings on time. I like to set expectations. If they're ground rules, I'll share those ground rules. Some good ground rules are, we listen to everybody, everybody has a chance to speak. Sometimes I request that people paraphrase what they're saying, what somebody else said, or the ideas that they're then commenting on to keep

• 11:09Matt Abrahams?

  the themes going. Set those ground rules upfront, then set expectations, share the agenda, and ask if anybody has questions or concerns, and then jump right in. If you're the leader of the meeting, part of your job is to make sure that you're sticking on time, so you're keeping track of that. But you also want to make sure that everybody has an opportunity to contribute if and when they want to. So you become a facilitator. That's a very different skill set, but it's one that requires vigilance to time and what's being said. I like to have a way of capturing information. Technology certainly allows us to do that, or assign somebody the responsibility of capturing that information. A little bit

• 11:53Matt Abrahams?

  of advice, if you are hybrid, hybrid is where not everybody is virtual and not everybody is in person. Some are in each situation. A good meeting makes sure that regardless of how you're attending, virtual or in person, you feel connected. So a quick and dirty thing you can do if you're leading a meeting is I always like to start the conversation with the person or people who are fewer in number. So if there are five of us in a room and three of us on Zoom, I'll always solicit input and feedback from those on Zoom because there are fewer of them. What that does is it reminds the majority, the people who we have more of, that these other people exist. Similarly, if I have a hybrid

• 12:36Matt Abrahams?

  situation, I will request that those who are remote not use the chat feature because they could be having a side conversation that those of us in the room aren't privy to. So think about, if you are hybrid, some of the extra things you would do to help the meeting run more smoothly.

• 12:55Matt Abrahams?

  As the meeting is coming to an end, it's important to have a formal conclusion. Do you know the most common way meetings end? Something like this, "Uh, I guess we're out of time and somebody needs the room." Or if you're on Zoom, somebody pops in for the next meeting because you use the same link. Those are not the most effective ways to end meetings. You should have a way of wrapping up. I'm a big fan of gratitude, thank you, perhaps reviewing the goal that you had, "I hope we all know this, feel this, and are willing to do that." Maybe we itemize the call to action or the action steps that follow, but there should be a sense of closure. So we've talked about what to do at the beginning and planning of a meeting, and then we've talked about what to do during. When a meeting

• 13:37Matt Abrahams?

  is over, it doesn't mean that that conversation and communication has ended. There should be a way of sharing the information that was discussed. Maybe it's minutes or a transcript of what was said, maybe it's a summary, could be an infographic, but it needs to be shared, perhaps in Slack or email or posted to a site so people can see it. Not only does it capture the content, but it captures who was there and any open items and action items as well. This then becomes a living document. Personally, I keep notes and minutes on the agenda itself so people could see the agenda and then what was discussed at every step along the way. I also will follow up with people individually and ask for feedback,

• 14:20Matt Abrahams?

  what worked, what didn't work. This way, I can continue to hone and develop those meetings. Taken together, these tools and approaches can help you actually run meetings that are effective and useful. Thanks for joining us for this Quick Thanks episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, the podcast. To learn more about meetings, please listen to episode 261 with Rebecca Hines. This episode was produced by Catherine Reed, Alex McCarthy, Ryan Campos, and me, Matt Abrahams. Our music is from Floyd Wunder, with special thanks to Podium Podcast Company. Please find us on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts. Be sure to subscribe and rate us. Also, follow us on LinkedIn, TikTok, and Instagram. And

• 15:05Matt Abrahams?

  check out fastersmarter.io for deep dive videos, English language learning content, and our newsletter. Thanks for joining me for this Quick Thanks episode. If these takeaways were helpful, I'd love for you to listen to the full episode that started this conversation. There's more context, more stories, and more tools to support your communication. Give it a listen. And as always, thanks for your support. Before we wrap up, I just want to say thank you for listening. It really means a lot to hear how people all over the world are using these ideas in their own lives. It inspires me and the whole team that brings you this show. If you want more episodes and resources, feel free to follow, subscribe, and explore past conversations. We're grateful for your support of Think Fast, Talk Smart.