Facilitator Secrets: How to Run Meetings That Matter
Have you left a meeting wondering, “What did we even accomplish?” 😩
I talked with a business employee who shared:
“We had a thirty-minute meeting to talk about a project. I spent 25 minutes listening to people talk about movies. Then we spent 5 minutes actually talking about the project. Couldn’t that have just been a 5-minute meeting?”
Now, connecting with teammates is important — after all, a little small talk builds trust and culture!
But if your goal is to move a project forward, the meeting should primarily be about that purpose — not spending most of the time chitchatting about movies!
As someone who’s led and facilitated thousands of meetings — some productive, others painfully pointless — I’ve learned this:
Effective meetings don’t happen by accident. They happen by design.
Whether you’re leading a team huddle or a multiple-team strategy session, a few simple shifts can turn your meetings from time-wasters into truly moving things forward.
Here’s how to design meetings that work.
(If you’re more of a video watcher and want more details than the summary below, watch the video on Youtube!)
1. Define the Purpose and Outcome
Every meeting should begin with a clear purpose: why you’re gathering and what you want to accomplish.
Aim for one primary outcome to keep the conversation focused, and if there are secondary goals, name them clearly.
When everyone knows the goal from the start, it’s easier to stay on track and make decisions that move things forward.
2. Invite the Right People
Don’t just invite people based on titles. Bring in those who know the work, influence others, or are impacted by the decision.
A smaller group of the right people leads to stronger, more relevant conversations.
Being intentional about the invite list ensures better input, smoother follow-through, and more productive discussion.
3. Clarify the Where and When
Let people know whether the meeting is in person, virtual, or hybrid, and make sure all the logistics are clear ahead of time.
Respect start and end times — people disengage when meetings run long or feel unpredictable.
When you stay on time, you show you value participants’ time, and it keeps energy and focus high.
4. Prepare Attendees in Advance
Send materials, questions, or relevant background info before the meeting.
This allows everyone — especially introverts — to process information ahead of time and show up ready to contribute.
When people come prepared, conversations are deeper, more focused, and more productive.
5. Run the Meeting with Clarity and Purpose
The way a meeting is facilitated greatly influences how effective people believe it was. To make the most of your time:
Start the meeting by restating the purpose and desired outcome, and clarify each person’s role in the process.
Are they making decisions, offering input, or just being informed?
When people understand their role, they’re more engaged.
Use a structured agenda to guide the conversation, making sure each topic connects back to the meeting’s goal.
Even if you are doing something that may not obviously seem to connect to the goal (like talking about movies!), reframe that part of the meeting to show how it contributes to the purpose. (“It’s great for us to connect briefly since our team works better together on this project when we get to know each other better.”)
Throughout the discussion, manage time intentionally, keep the group focused, and adjust if needed to stay aligned.
As the meeting wraps, don’t skip the most important part: defining next steps:
Clarify what actions need to happen, who is responsible, and by when.
If a follow-up is required, set that before the meeting ends.
End with clear commitments and communication to ensure that all the meeting leads to real momentum afterward. I’m a fan of generating talking points so people know how to communicate to others what was discussed at the meeting.
Download your free meeting template
Planning and leading meetings doesn’t require reinventing the wheel every time!
I’ve created a simple one-page Meeting Template you can use to plan and lead your next meeting with clarity.
It walks you through each of the steps and helps you stay focused on what matters most. Download it today!
Leading a Critical Meeting? Set It Up for Success
Are you preparing for a meeting where the outcome really matters—one that could impact your team, your clients, or your organization’s direction?
Whether you’re leading in a nonprofit, business, or ministry context, your time and leadership are valuable.
I work with organizational and team leaders to design and facilitate meetings that create clarity, alignment, and meaningful progress — so you can lead with confidence and get results that matter.
Book a free Clarity Impact Call here to talk through your upcoming meeting and how to make it as effective as possible.
