5 Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Have you ever left a meeting thinking, “What was the point of that?”
You’re not alone. Many meetings feel like a waste of time because they lack structure, clarity, or purpose. As a leadership coach and corporate trainer, I see this problem all the time. The good news? It’s fixable.
- Not having a clear objective
A meeting without a goal is like a ship without a compass. Are you aiming to make a decision? Share information? Brainstorm ideas?
Solution: Define the objective beforehand and share it with all participants. If there’s no clear purpose, maybe the meeting isn’t needed at all.
- You invited too many people (or the wrong nnes)
The more people involved, the harder it is to decide or take action. And if someone doesn’t have a role in the meeting, they’ll likely disconnect.
Solution: Invite only those who truly need to be there. Others can receive a recap afterward.
- Poor time management
Meetings start late, go off-topic, or drag on forever… Sound familiar?
Solution: Set a realistic time frame, use a timed agenda, and appoint a timekeeper to keep things on track, invest in a stopwatch.
- Lack of real participation
When only one or two people dominate the conversation, you’re missing out on collective intelligence.
Solution: Use simple techniques to boost engagement—quick check-ins, structured rounds, polls, or even silence breaks for reflection.
- No Follow-Up
Decisions are made, but no one writes them down… and next time, everything starts from scratch.
Solution: End with a short recap of key decisions and action points. Assign responsibilities and deadlines. Send a summary within 24 hours.
Mini-Test: Do your meetings need an upgrade?
Answer YES or NO:
- Do you set a clear objective before each meeting?
- Are all participants truly necessary?
- Do you stick to the planned schedule?
- Do you actively encourage participation?
- Are decisions documented and followed up?
If you answered “NO” to 2 or more… it’s time to level up your meeting game!
