The Complete Guide to Running Effective Meetings

Ninety percent of meetings fail before they even begin!

Okay, that's an exaggeration. But it feels that way sometimes, doesn't it?

Whether it's unclear objectives, the wrong people in the room, or discussions that meander without purpose, many meetings you go to are bad, unproductive, and a complete waste of time.

But here's what most people don't realise: meetings aren't inherently bad. When done right, they're one of the most powerful tools for communication, decision-making, and collaboration.

So, the solution isn't to eliminate meetings; it's making sure they are run effectively.

Below I'll break down just how to do that. After facilitating hundreds of meetings across different organisations, we know what truly works. So I'm sharing with you the Tartane Leadership meeting framework. This is our proven system for making meetings productive so you'll have a clear guide you can use to make every meeting count.

Why meetings still matter

Despite having access to an arsenal of digital tools and email and all the various chat systems, verbal face-to-face communication delivers results in ways that other formats can't replace.

Whether conducted in person or virtually, (good) meetings offer three big advantages:

1. Information is shared and received faster.
2. Tone, gestures, and body language improve understanding.
3. And it's the most practical method of holding an active discussion.

Key principles

So how can you make sure your meetings are productive?

Let's go through some basic rules you should follow.

We've refined these over years of running meetings in diverse settings, combined with the best ideas from management thinking that we've tested and adapted into a reliable system. These aren't just theoretical concepts, they're battle-tested approaches that deliver results

Much of our framework draws inspiration from Peter Drucker's seminal work "The Effective Executive," which remains one of the most insightful resources on decision-making and organisational effectiveness. I highly recommend it for any manager serious about improving their leadership capabilities.

Now, be aware...these rules illustrate an ideal. You aren't always in a position to dictate your meetings' structure, and when you are it's quite rare that you're able to run things exactly the way you want them. Nevertheless, it's what you should be aiming for.

Before the meeting

Great meetings don't just happen by accident. There's some basic planning and preparation that needs to be done. Not a lot, and most of it is routine, but you need to put in the work before the meeting.

It's just like cooking your favourite dish, the real work starts long before anything hits the table. You choose the right ingredients, you prep them properly, and set the stage for a smooth cooking process.

In the same way, a productive meeting starts long before anyone joins the call or steps into the room. You don't just hope for the best; you plan, prepare, and set yourself up for success.

Define a clear purpose and structure

So first you need to determine the meeting's purpose, create an agenda, and decide where and when it's going to take place.

And then you need to communicate all of these clearly to all participants. In advance! That's very important.

Side note: there's a lot to be said about how to properly create an agenda, which is outside the scope of this article. But any kind of agenda is better than not having one at all. That, plus sharing it in advance will set you up for success more than any other single thing you can do.

Invite attendees intentionally

Speaking of participants, only essential people should attend.

One of the most common mistakes I see is meetings with people who should not be there. This is often a result of wanting to be inclusive, which is not the right approach to a meeting and often undermines effectiveness.

So how do you decide who's essential and who's not? Here's a simple trick you can use.

Don't ask yourself whether a person needs to be there. You'll end up answering "yes" most of the time.

Instead, ask yourself which costs more, this person's presence or their absence?

If their absence will invalidate or waste the meeting, or will cost you an impractical amount of follow-up work afterwards, then that person should attend.

During the meeting

The hard work you put in beforehand sets the stage, but how you handle the meeting determines whether that preparation pays off.

The key thing is to run the meeting in an appropriate format, depending on its purpose, and we'll get to that further down.

You should also appoint someone to take notes. Don't do it yourself. The format of these notes should be practical and relevant to the nature of the meeting. For example, important meetings, say between executives of different bodies, should be more formally minuted and structured. But internal meetings between colleagues can have casual, short notes. As long as they're clear. They should never be a verbatim transcript.

Make sure you start the meeting on time, regardless of who hasn't arrived. This establishes respect for everyone's time, creates accountability and reinforced punctuality.

End the meeting as soon as its purpose has been fulfilled. Don't raise other matters for discussion. And always sum up before adjourning. Summarise any decisions that were taken, or conclusions that were drawn and, most importantly, any tasks assigned during the meeting should be re-stated including who's responsible for them and by what deadline.

After the meeting

What happens after the meeting is just as important as the meeting itself. Without proper follow-up, decisions can be forgotten, action items can slip through the cracks, and all that effort goes to waste.

The first thing you should do is to email a copy of the minutes to all attendees. This doesn't have to be fancy. It can be as simple as sending a photo of handwritten notes taken with your phone.

Pro tip

Make the person who took the notes also be responsible for distributing them. If it turns out that the notes were not taken properly, give the note taker some feedback. Depending on the situation, you might want to appoint someone else to do them next time.

Choosing the right meeting format

Earlier I hinted that not all meetings are the same, and that they should be structured differently depending on their intended purpose.

Let's go through the main ones.

Purpose: to prepare or agree on a formal statement/announcement/text/document etc...

• If the meeting is meant to prepare a formal statement, or finalise a document, or something like that, then someone should prepare a draft of this in advance. Usually it's best to distribute it ahead of the meeting.
• After the meeting, that same person should also be responsible for finalising the document and redistributing the final version.

Purpose: to make an announcement

• When calling a meeting just to make an announcement, such as an all-hands, or town hall meeting, it should be limited to the announcement and a discussion about it if necessary.

Purpose: one person is reporting something

• Similarly, when one person is reporting something, the meeting should be limited to that report and a discussion about it.

Purpose: several persons are reporting something

• When several persons are reporting, discussions on the reports should not be held, and you should only entertain questions that are looking for clarification.
• If the reports are long, or there are a lot of them, these should be distributed to attendees well in advance and a stricter time limit should be imposed on each report.

Purpose: to inform someone about something, or to bring them up to speed

• If you're meeting just to bring someone up to speed on something or other, that person or persons should just listen and only ask questions if they need further clarification. No discussions.

From meeting survivor to meeting master

The techniques we've outlined above aren't, in themselves, revolutionary. But the difference between good and great leaders often comes down to execution of fundamentals rather than complex strategies.

Now all of this may initially seem like a lot to handle, but it's just a lengthy description. The actual process is really quite simple.

Look at your next meeting as an opportunity to begin this transformation. Start by applying just one or two aspects we've covered above (I would suggest focusing on getting used to creating an agenda and sending it in advance). After a couple of meetings, they'll become second nature. Then pick two more and repeat the process.

You'll find that each well-run meeting creates momentum for the next one. You'll start saving time, because when meetings accomplish their intended purpose, fewer follow-up meetings, emails, and clarification sessions are required. Participants also begin to expect and contribute to higher standards. Decision-making accelerates. Team alignment improves.

So, to wrap up...

Meetings aren't the problem; bad meetings are. We've covered why they matter, the key principles for making them effective, and how to structure them based on their purpose.

Also, not every meeting will be perfect, and that's OK. At worst you learn something and gain experience. You'll still be way ahead of the game.

Stephen

---

Ready to transform your leadership effectiveness beyond just meetings? Tartane Leadership provides personalised mentorship that develops the practical behaviours needed for senior leadership roles. Contact us to explore how we can help you accelerate your career progression.