How to Strengthen Meeting Culture With Clear Communication

Ever notice how some leaders seem to have a sixth sense for meeting dynamics while others plow through their agenda oblivious to glazed eyes, side conversations, or everyone needing several "bio breaks" over the course of an hour? Research tells us executives consider 67% of virtual meetings failures, and a staggering 92% of employees admit to multitasking during meetings. After facilitating hundreds of in-person, virtual, and hybrid sessions, I've developed my "6 E's Framework" to transform the abstract concept of "reading the room" into concrete skills anyone can master. (This is exactly what I teach leaders and teams who want to dramatically improve their meeting and presentation effectiveness.) Here's what to look for and what to do: 1. Eye Contact: Notice where people are looking (or not looking). Are they making eye contact with you or staring at their devices? Position yourself strategically, be inclusive with your gaze, and respectfully acknowledge what you observe: "I notice several people checking watches, so I'll pick up the pace." 2. Energy: Feel the vibe - is it friendly, tense, distracted? Conduct quick energy check-ins ("On a scale of 1-10, what's your energy right now?"), pivot to more engaging topics when needed, and don't hesitate to amplify your own energy through voice modulation and expressive gestures. 3. Expectations: Regularly check if you're delivering what people expected. Start with clear objectives, check in throughout ("Am I addressing what you hoped we'd cover?"), and make progress visible by acknowledging completed agenda items. 4. Extraneous Activities: What are people doing besides paying attention? Get curious about side conversations without defensiveness: "I see some of you discussing something - I'd love to address those thoughts." Break up presentations with interactive elements like polls or small group discussions. 5. Explicit Feedback: Listen when someone directly tells you "we're confused" or "this is exactly what we needed." Remember, one vocal participant often represents others' unspoken feelings. Thank people for honest feedback and actively solicit input from quieter participants. 6. Engagement: Monitor who's participating and how. Create varied opportunities for people to engage with you, the content, and each other. Proactively invite (but don't force) participation from those less likely to speak up. I've shared my complete framework in the article in the comments below. In my coaching and workshops with executives and teams worldwide, I've seen these skills transform even the most dysfunctional meeting cultures -- and I'd be thrilled to help your company's speakers and meeting leaders, too. What meeting dynamics challenge do you find most difficult to navigate? I'd love to hear your experiences in the comments! #presentationskills #virualmeetings #engagement

Meetings aren’t for updates - they’re where your culture is being built… or broken. Meetings are key moments where distributed team members experience culture together. That makes every meeting a high-stakes opportunity. Yet most teams stay in default mode - using meetings for project updates instead of connection, ideation, debate, and culture-building. 3 ways to reduce meetings and make the remaining ones count… 1. Co-create a Team Working Agreement. Before you can reinforce values, your team needs to define them. I’ve spent hundreds of hours helping teams do this - and have seen measurable gains in team effectiveness. Key components: - Shared team goals - Defining team member roles - Agreed-upon behaviors - Communication norms (sync vs. async) 2. Begin meetings with a connection moment. Relationships fuel trust and collaboration. Kick things off with a check-in like: “What gave you energy this week?” Or tailor it to the topic. In a recent meeting on decision-making norms, we asked: “Speed or certainty - which do you value more when making decisions, and why?” 3. Make team values part of the agenda. Create a ritual to recognize teammates for demonstrating team behaviors. Ask the question: “Where did we see our values or team agreements show up this week?” And check in on where could the team have done better. Culture doesn’t happen by accident - especially when your teams are spread across time zones, WFH setups, and multiple office sites. Your meetings can become a powerful tool to build culture with intention.

Ever sat through a team meeting that felt like watching paint dry? You know the meetings where: - The PowerPoint slides could cure insomnia - What's shared should've been an email - The silence is so thick you can hear a pin drop We've all been there. But here's the real gut punch - what if YOU'RE accidentally running meetings like this? Nothing humbles you quite like watching your team fight to keep their eyes open during your "exciting team update." As someone who specializes in facilitation, I can tell you that with just a few small tweaks, any manager can transform their team gatherings. Here are 6 simple changes that make a massive difference: ➡️ Start with purpose, not habit - Ask "Why am I gathering these people?" (Hint: status updates aren't a good enough reason) ➡️ Create an agenda that works like a GPS - Begin by defining your destination (desired outcomes) so everyone knows where you're headed ➡️ Include a 5-minute connection activity - Strong teams aren't built discussing KPIs, they're built in those small moments where people connect as humans ➡️ Create space for quieter voices - Not everyone processes at the same speed or communicates the same way, but everyone has valuable insights ➡️ End with crystal-clear next steps - Each action item needs an owner and a deadline, or you've just wasted everyone's time ➡️ Address disengagement privately - If someone's checked out, have the "I notice" conversation with genuine curiosity rather than judgment Want to see how your meetings measure up? Take my 2-minute Meeting Momentum quiz (linked on last slide) ♻️ Share to help someone lead a better meeting