How to Run Effective Meetings: The Golden Rule of Leading Anything

As a leader, it is your responsibility to ensure that your meetings are not only efficient but also productive and engaging. Whether you are leading a corporate team, a volunteer organization, or a professional association, the success of your meetings lies in how well you engage your participants. In this article, we will discuss the Golden Rule of Leading Anything and the six-item participant checklist for impressive meetings.

The Bathroom at the Wrong Moment: How I Almost Quit as President of a Volunteer Organization

In 2006, I was elected as the President of the Spanish chapter of Entrepreneurs’ Organisation, a volunteer-led organization for successful entrepreneurs. While I was proud of the honor, I was nervous about leading the group. Our first board meeting was chaos. I failed to keep people focused on the agenda, and every member had a different opinion on every small point. After four hours of getting bogged down in petty administrative details, I realized that my approach to meetings was not effective. I was frustrated, and members were blaming me for everything that didn’t work out.

I was on the verge of quitting when I attended a training session for new chapter presidents. The trainer, a Canadian entrepreneur, drew a clear distinction between two types of people. The first group had a mission to become chapter president for years and conducted a campaign with a clear manifesto, while the second group went to the bathroom at the wrong moment and came back to find that they had been nominated for President.

The trainer paused and said, “I don’t care which is your path. But you have a clear choice to make… You can spend the next year saying that you didn’t really choose this; or you can decide to make the role your own. This training is for those who chose to make the role their own.”

With that, I knew I had to step up and take responsibility for my role. I had nothing to lose, having mentally decided to leave the organization. Over the next two years, I learned how to run meetings that engaged volunteers, made them proud, and delivered big results.

The Golden Rule of Leading Anything

The success of any meeting lies in the leader’s responsibility. If your meetings are not fun, it’s your responsibility to act. If someone comes unprepared, it’s your responsibility to act. The Golden Rule of Leading Anything is that as a leader, you accept full responsibility for your role, regardless of your background or how you got there. If you don’t accept the Golden Rule, you might as well go play Tetris or Candy Crush.

The Six-Item Participant Checklist for Impressive Meetings

1. Participants Felt Heard

Listening to others’ opinions and thoughts is essential. In a meeting, create an environment in which everyone feels free to speak without being judged. It is your responsibility as a leader to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to speak and feels heard.

2. Participants Leave Energized

Make your meetings inspiring and engaging, filled with big dreams, stories, and progress. Celebrate small wins and recognize good efforts. Focus on your team’s values, and foster teamwork and collaboration.

3. Participants Leave with New Perspectives

Great leaders are known for their ability to ask thought-provoking questions. Rockerfeller, the richest man in the world back in the 1850s, was famous for his ability to look almost asleep in meetings and then suddenly ask a question that changed the whole dynamic of the discussion. As a leader, asking the right questions helps team members to think critically about the discussion’s issues and gain new perspectives.

4. Participants Are Proud to Be Part of the Team

Create a team that stands for something. Encourage individual members to be the best version of themselves, whether it be through professional or personal growth. Help them see how their individual goals align with the team’s goals.

5. Participants Have Access to Necessary Resources

Ensure that people have everything they need to achieve their goals. If they fail, it’s usually because they didn’t have clear guidance on what was required of them or because they didn’t have access to the necessary resources.

6. Participants Have the Desire to Deliver on Specific Actions

Clarity is key. As a leader, make sure that participants understand what is expected of them, the benefits of the action, and how they can take the necessary steps toward success.

The Choice You Must Make

Whether you became a leader by deliberate action or by accident, you have a choice to make. You can wait for a magical sign from the sky or take responsibility now to change the aspects of your role that you do not like. As a leader, you have the power to create a positive and productive environment that will engage and inspire your team.

In conclusion, the Golden Rule of Leading Anything is simple: take responsibility. As a leader, it’s your responsibility to create productive, efficient, and engaging meetings that inspire and energize your team. With the six-item participant checklist, you can create an impressive meeting environment that encourages collaboration, critical thinking, and positive action.