Hi there!

Let's be honest — most meetings are either too long, too vague, or too rushed. And even the best-intentioned leaders find themselves winging it.

But the way you run a meeting shapes how people see you as a leader.

In this week's video, I have broken down three small leadership habits that transform how you show up in meetings — and they're simple enough to try this week.

1. Schedule your thinking time

Most of us know we should prepare — but few of us protect time to do it. The key is to schedule the time in your diary. Protect this vital thinking time. The clearer you are, the greater your influence and impact will be.

Try this framework:

• If you're leading: 60 minutes prep + 60 minutes meeting + 30 minutes follow-up
• If you're attending: 15 + 60 + 15

Even 20 minutes of prep changes everything — because you're not just preparing, you're designing the conversation you want to have. You're considering the people and challenges you face, ensuring you have the best conversation possible and move the work forward.

2. Start with the purpose and outcome

Many meetings go off track as discussions extend and decisions get missed. This often happens because agendas list topics to talk about rather than clearly stating the desired outcome for the session.

Here's the quick tip I always share with my coaching clients:

At the start of every meeting, say "The purpose of this meeting is..." and explain why you're there, followed by "and by the end, we will have..." and explain the outcomes.

This 15-second habit gives the meeting structure, intention, and clarity, and you look like you are on it!

If you're meeting one-on-one, start by asking there other person what they want to get out of the meeting, then add what you'd like to achieve.

These meeting starts are so powerful, as they a brilliant clarity builders.

3. Close the loop

A meeting's not over when people leave. It's over when actions are done.

Try these timesavers to get your follow up done:

• Use AI (like Otter.ai, Fellow, or Gemini in Google Meet) to transcribe the meeting and then summarise the actions and follow-up straight away. You can have the notes sent out 5 minutes after the meeting.
• If you're in-person, I've found this workflow fantastic. First, take a few minutes straight after the meeting and record a quick voice memo. I use voice notes on my iPhone. Capture the actions, any thoughts, and stakeholder considerations, then take the transcription and let AI summarize and turn it into clean actions. It's so much quicker. I've even done this walking to the next meeting!

If meetings feel like a time drain right now — and you want to improve your impact and influence, check out the full video to find out how these habits and frameworks help you lead with intention.

​👉 Watch it here: How to Run High-Impact Meetings (That People Actually Like)​

These small changes will make a big difference in how you're perceived as a leader.

What’s one meeting technique or tool that changed the way you manage meetings? Let me know, I’m at the other end. 🙂

Have a great week,

Helen

​ Want to work together? ​Manager OS Course - Reclaim Your Time & Accelerate Your Career with Manager OS - A Proven System to Help Managers Lead with Confidence & Ease Work with me 1:1 - Book a coaching session​ ​The Leadership Vault: Your Private Access to Every Issue. Every strategy, tip, and lesson shared in past newsletters—now available in one place. Stay ahead, stay informed, and lead smarter. ​Visit my website to find out more. ​

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