6 Overlooked Leadership Skills To Run Meetings That People WANT To Attend

Episode 296: Are you running meetings that drive real results—or just draining everyone’s time and energy?

People don’t hate meetings—they hate pointless meetings. Those soul-sucking wastes of time. If your team’s meetings often end with vague action items, low engagement, or zero follow-through, it’s not just frustrating—it’s hurting your leadership credibility. This episode gives you the tools to turn that around and lead meetings your team actually wants to attend.

Here’s what you’ll walk away with:

• Six practical techniques to lead meetings that drive action, boost morale, and build trust.
• A foolproof framework to clarify purpose, decision-making, and outcomes—every single time.
• Simple, powerful questions that guarantee your meeting ends with real commitments and momentum.

Press play now to start running meetings that energize your team and elevate your leadership.

Foundational Shifts To Run Meetings Better

• [00:58] – Most meetings fail because they’re time-wasters; learn why respecting time is the first step to reclaiming your leadership credibility.
• [03:59] – Meetings must produce action. If your meeting doesn’t move the mission forward, it shouldn’t happen.
• [05:04] – Don’t overlook the relationship-building side of meetings—especially with hybrid or virtual teams.
• [07:03] – Get intentional about who you invite. The smallest group of diverse, relevant stakeholders leads to the best decisions.
• [09:50] – Clarify what kind of meeting you’re leading. Confusing an info session with a decision-making meeting leads to frustration and inefficiency.

Techniques That Drive Action and Ownership

• [11:39] – To run meetings that result in action, be crystal clear about who owns the decision and how it’s being made.
• [13:27] – Break down the three most effective decision-making styles and when to use each one to keep your team engaged and on board.
• [16:52] – Meetings are commitment creators. Every great meeting should end with clear ownership and next steps.
• [19:04] – Run meetings with intention by asking three game-changing questions: Who will do what, by when, and how will we know?
• [22:49] – If you skip the follow-through, you’ve wasted more than time—you’ve eroded trust. Run meetings that finish strong and create lasting momentum.

Leadership Skills to Run Meetings that People Want to Attend

Here are the six advanced leadership techniques for running meetings that get results and that people actually want to attend:

1. Don’t waste their time
   Only hold meetings when they’re the most valuable use of everyone’s time. Respect the precious resource of time by being intentional and efficient.

2. Know your outcomes
   Every meeting should have a clear purpose, focused on building relationships and achieving results. Define what action or outcome you expect.

3. Get the right people in the room
   Invite the smallest group of stakeholders necessary to make the best decision, ensuring diverse perspectives and relevant input.

4. Clarify what kind of meeting you’re having
   Be clear whether it’s an informational meeting or a decision-making/problem-solving session—don’t mix the two.

5. Clarify who owns the decision
   Clearly state how the decision will be made (e.g., one person decides, group consensus, or vote) to avoid frustration and confusion.

6. End with commitments and next steps
   Close every meeting by answering three questions: Who will do what? By when? And how will we know? This ensures accountability and real follow-through.