Let’s consider all the reasons why Julia found the meeting we’ve just described so frustrating. First, it was a bad time: she was struggling to meet deadlines and really didn’t want to stop working to sit in on a meeting. Worse, she probably didn’t really have to be there either—the client was using the meeting to inform the sales team about the site as a whole, not to discuss Julia’s design. Further complicating the issues were the meeting’s late start, Julia’s unfamiliarity with the sales force, and a medium—speakerphone—that limited Julia’s communication with the team. Put simply, the meeting was poorly planned.

Proper planning is crucial for successful meetings. Making a few decisions beforehand and taking steps to clarify goals and logistics for the team can lead to more effective decision making during the meeting itself. There are several steps that group leaders can take to plan meetings more effectively.