The Inclusive Leader’s Guide to Running Effective and Inclusive Meetings (Part 2)

In the corporate world, we spend a significant amount of time in team meetings. The way these meetings are conducted and how we feel during them greatly influence our sense of inclusion and belonging. As Minette Norman wisely observes in her book The Boldly Inclusive Leader, “Meetings embody and reveal your team culture.”

Yet despite their importance, many of us run meetings on autopilot, unconsciously perpetuating biases that exclude voices and limit our collective potential. The good news is that with some intentional design and structured processes, we can transform our meetings into powerful tools for engagement, inclusion and better decision-making.

The Hidden Biases in Our Meeting Rooms

Before we dive into solutions, let’s acknowledge the biases that commonly show up in our meetings. We might consistently call on the same people for input, inadvertently favour those who speak loudest or first, or allow dominant personalities to overshadow quieter contributors. We may schedule meetings without considering different time zones, religious observances, or accessibility needs.

These patterns aren’t necessarily malicious—they’re often the result of unconscious habits and cognitive shortcuts. But their impact is real: they can silence valuable perspectives, reduce psychological safety, and ultimately lead to poorer outcomes for our teams and organisations.

Before the Meeting: Setting the Foundation for Success

Inclusive meetings start long before we enter the room or log onto the video call. The preparation phase is crucial for creating an environment where everyone can contribute meaningfully.

Send out the meeting objective, agenda, and materials beforehand so that participants can prepare. This isn’t just good practice—it’s an inclusion necessity. Some of our colleagues are brilliant processors who need time to formulate their thoughts, while others may have language barriers that make real-time contribution challenging. By providing materials in advance, we level the playing field.

Share roles in advance by informing attendees who will lead, present, or take notes. This helps people prepare and reduces anxiety about unexpected participation. Importantly, we should assign these roles on a rotating basis to ensure that administrative tasks don’t consistently fall to the same people—often women or junior team members.

Schedule meetings mindfully, considering timing preferences, time zones, bank and school holidays, as well as religious festivities. This shows respect for our team’s diverse needs and circumstances. If we’re consistently scheduling important meetings at times that exclude certain team members, we’re sending a clear message about whose voices we value.

Bring the right people into the conversation by limiting the group size for focus while ensuring no important voices are missing. This requires us to think carefully about representation and whose perspectives are essential for the discussion.

For hybrid meetings, we should ask all participants, including those in the same room, to join individually using their computers. This creates a more level playing field between in-person and remote attendees.

Finally, we must consider people’s accommodation needs—accessibility requirements, dietary needs, subtitled videos, captions on virtual meetings. These considerations should be routine, not afterthoughts.

During the Meeting: Facilitating Inclusive Participation

Once we’re in the meeting, our role shifts to active facilitation of inclusive participation. This requires constant awareness and intentional intervention.

Make time for greetings and introductions. This isn’t just pleasantries—it’s about creating psychological safety and ensuring everyone feels seen and valued. In our rush to get to business, we often skip this crucial step that sets the tone for inclusive participation.

Encourage questions, remarks, and alternative perspectives and thank people for contributing. This reinforces that diverse viewpoints are valued and creates a culture where people feel safe to share dissenting opinions.

Ensure no single person dominates the discussion by politely redirecting or inviting quieter participants to share. This requires courage and skill—we need to interrupt dominance while maintaining relationships and respect.

Ask everyone for their individual contributions at least once. If it’s a hybrid meeting, start by asking for input from people who are online, as they often face additional barriers to participation.

Ensure people speak clearly, one at a time and avoid or explain jargon and acronyms. This creates accessibility for everyone and prevents the exclusion that comes from insider language.

Make sure people are not interrupted and are given credit for their opinions. Interruption patterns often follow demographic lines, with women and people from underrepresented groups being interrupted more frequently.

The Power of Brainwriting Over Brainstorming

One of the most powerful tools for inclusive meetings is replacing traditional brainstorming with brainwriting. Instead of the usual free-for-all where the loudest voices dominate, ask people to jot down ideas anonymously before opening the debate.

This approach has several advantages: it gives everyone equal opportunity to contribute, reduces the influence of hierarchy and social dynamics, and often generates more diverse and creative ideas. It’s particularly valuable for teams with significant cultural diversity, where communication styles may vary considerably.

If we’re the leader and the team meeting’s purpose is to generate new ideas or make decisions, we should be the last person to contribute ideas. Our position gives our words disproportionate weight, and speaking first can inadvertently shut down alternative perspectives.

After the Meeting: Closing the Loop

The meeting doesn’t end when we log off or leave the room. The follow-up phase is crucial for maintaining inclusion and ensuring that good ideas don’t get lost.

If appropriate, circulate a meeting summary and give people a last chance to contribute. Some colleagues may have had brilliant insights after the meeting or may have felt unable to speak up in the moment. This follow-up creates another opportunity for contribution.

Occasionally ask team members, individually and collectively, for feedback on how inclusive our meetings are and ask for suggestions to improve the experience. This shows that we’re committed to continuous improvement and that their experience matters to us.

The Ripple Effect of Inclusive Meetings

When we run truly inclusive meetings, the benefits extend far beyond the meeting room. We model inclusive behaviour that team members can replicate in their own meetings. We create psychological safety that encourages innovation and risk-taking. We tap into the collective intelligence of our diverse teams, leading to better decisions and outcomes.

Moreover, inclusive meetings send a powerful message about our values and priorities. They demonstrate that we don’t just talk about inclusion—we embed it in our daily practices. This consistency between values and actions is crucial for building trust and credibility as inclusive leaders.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Even with the best intentions, we can fall into common traps. We might over-correct and put people on the spot, making them uncomfortable. We might focus so much on process that we lose sight of outcomes. We might assume that quieter people aren’t engaged when they may simply have different communication styles.

The key is to remain flexible and responsive while maintaining our commitment to inclusion. We should regularly check in with our teams about what’s working and what isn’t, and be willing to adjust our approach based on feedback.

Starting Small, Thinking Big

Transforming our meetings doesn’t require a complete overhaul overnight. We can start with one or two changes—perhaps sending agendas in advance or implementing brainwriting for one meeting. As these practices become habitual, we can gradually add more elements.

The goal isn’t perfection—it’s progress. Every small step towards more inclusive meetings contributes to a more inclusive culture overall. And in a world where meetings consume so much of our working time, these changes can have a profound impact on our team’s experience and performance.

Remember, inclusive meetings aren’t just about being nice—they’re about being effective. When we tap into the full potential of our diverse teams, we make better decisions, generate more innovative solutions, and create environments where everyone can thrive.

Thanks for reading – Let’s keep shining the inclusion light together! ✨

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This is part two of a four-part series on how to debias key moments in the employee life cycle. It’s an excerpt adapted from my upcoming book, Practising Inclusive Leadership.

✨ Curious about my Inclusive Leadership Online Programme for HR professionals or my Train-the-Trainer Retreat in Cyprus? Click HERE to register your interest, get the full details, and enjoy early-bird access.