Meeting Well

Author: Rachael Stott

When you ask business leaders and professionals about their experience of meetings, their answers are often strikingly similar:

“Too many, too long, not much achieved.” 

“We meet, but we don’t connect.” 

“It feels like a ritual we endure, not an act that inspires.”

These frustrations are not minor irritations, they shape the culture, energy, and productivity of an organisation. Poorly designed gatherings chip away at trust, energy and momentum; they waste time and create disengagement. On the other hand, purposeful, focused meetings can unlock creativity, harness and accelerate collective effort and build a sense of belonging.

Meetings are not neutral - they are culture in action

Every meeting signals what we value - time, purpose, people, or too often, none of the above. Many leaders, particularly in busy, fraught times, default to routine, treating meetings as calendar fillers rather than powerful leadership moments. Meetings and gatherings are never just logistical, they’re opportunities to shape meaning, connection and culture.

What if we reimagined meetings as deliberate acts of leadership? When leaders gather well, they shift culture in real time. They model what focus looks like, what listening feels like, and what it means to value people’s time and contribution.

Start with purpose. Lift performance

Starting with purpose is a critical but often overlooked first step for meeting well. Ask why you’re bringing people together and then design every element to serve that purpose. But that’s just the start point!  Meeting well means also paying attention to:

• Respect for time: Shorter, sharper meetings with clear outcomes honour people’s energy and focus.
• Psychological safety: Creating a climate where voices are heard and contributions valued is the difference between surface conversation and real collaboration.
• Rhythm and ritual: When meetings have a rhythm (e.g., focused weekly check-ins) and occasional rituals (e.g., celebrating wins in a unique way), they build momentum and community.
• Courage to cancel: Sometimes the best meeting is the one that doesn’t happen. If there is no purpose, outcome, or reason to connect – do not meet; show leadership by cancelling. 

The impact of meeting well is not abstract. It shows up in quicker decisions, stronger relationships, and a culture where people feel their time matters. Leaders who learn to curate purposeful, engaging meetings often find it’s one of the simplest, most human levers they have to shift organisational performance.

Putting it into practice

With a few deliberate shifts, leaders can transform gatherings from a drain into one of their most effective leadership tools. Here’s a checklist for meeting and gathering well:

• Start with purpose. Ask: What must this group achieve together that they cannot achieve alone?
• Decide if the meeting is necessary. If the purpose is unclear, consider cancelling or replacing it with a different format (e.g., an update email).
• Be intentional with attendees. Invite the people who add or receive value—no more, no less.
• Design the flow. Allocate time by priority. Create space for contribution, not just updates.
• Protect time. Start and finish on time. Shorter, sharper meetings often drive more focus.
• Close well. Summarise decisions, clarify ownership, and confirm next steps.
• Reflect and refine.  After key gatherings, ask: Did this achieve its purpose? What could  be improved next time? 

Your next move

Next time you plan a meeting, offsite or workshop, pause and ask these questions:

• What is the real purpose here?
• Who needs to be in the room (and who doesn’t)?
• How can I design the flow, so people leave with energy, clarity, and connection?

Meetings aren’t just about logistics; they are about leadership. Meeting well is leading well.

Need more information? Contact the Winsborough Team:
winsborough.co.nz | 0800 222 061 | support@winsborough.co.nz

Image credit: Sincerely Media (Unsplash)