A meeting guide for managers to hold inclusive meetings

Today, meetings are taking place in a variety of formats (e.g., in-person, virtual, hybrid, etc.), leaving many struggling to promote inclusion due to increasing demands. However, leaders must consider inclusivity as a factor for a successful meeting. I have had several experiences where I participated in a meeting as an observer. I observed, took notes, and did some self-talk to avoid compromising my perspective during the meeting. In retrospect, it didn’t feel great, and I thought about how the experience could have been very different. The truth is, I felt left out, not included, and I wonder how many of us attend meetings where we focus on feeling left out versus included. This article serves as a meeting guide to explore opportunities to create more inclusivity before, during, and after meetings.

Prepare in advance for an inclusive meeting

Plan an inclusive meeting. The saying goes, “Good performance prevents bad performance.” Set an intention to make the meeting inclusive. Then note how the meeting will be inclusive. For example, ensure that the meeting has a diversity of participants to broaden perspectives. Think of the setbacks that have happened to others where it is clear that diversity of perspectives would have protected an employer brand from embarrassment or financial consequences. Review the list of participants and consider additional diversity dimensions for inclusion.

Do something self-work to consider how biases can proactively intervene in the conduct of meetings. Include an objective around recording in the meeting agenda. Identify allies who can support an inclusive agenda. Instruct those allies on how to navigate and best support the meeting leader. Conduct a taster session of the meeting and look for gaps (i.e. including language, activities, etc.) that could lead to exclusion. Yes, this takes some extra time, but the proactive approach yields benefits.

How to hold an inclusive meeting

1. Set the stage for success by agreeing on how to ensure results safety of participants so that they can interact optimally with each other. Model inclusive behavior and co-create meeting ground rules for all participants. Consider language use, decision-making during meetings, and answering questions as opportunities to model inclusive behavior. An example is understanding and respecting pronouns, which shows an appreciation for identities. Noticing consistent interruptions and how they are distributed among participants and then counteracting them (avoid shouting) with course corrections sets boundaries for the meeting. These techniques allow participants to observe and learn from inclusive behavior.
2. Embrace long pauses and resist the urge to quickly fill the space with chatter. This allows different styles to process and participate in discussions in meetings, even though it may cause discomfort for those with direct styles. I’ve learned over time that calling all participants can be off-putting for those who need extra processing time, and a challenge for the meeting facilitator who wants to maximize perspectives. Understand that a wide swath to capture all voices can be done in several ways. Therefore, investigate solutions that allow votes to filter into the meeting anonymously. For example, using polls is a nice way to gain insights from all meeting participants. Survey everywhere is a tool that can accomplish this task.
3. Use the parking concept as a strategy to initiate discussions that promote exclusion. As a meeting facilitator, it is critical to notice the level of engagement and maintain curiosity throughout the meeting. Stories can create false narratives, so validate any stories that emerge as a facilitator of the meeting. For example, by saying out loud what you notice and asking for feedback, you can avoid going in the wrong direction. If you are unable to obtain the desired perspectives, suggest alternatives to capture insights and also indicate the parking space to put discussions on hold for the time being. Doubling down on one perspective as a solution is not inclusive. Ensure that challenges emerge with new ideas and solutions.

Learn how to consistently host inclusive meetings

Thanking everyone for attending the meeting is a form of inclusion. Then, conduct a pulse check in the form of a survey to gauge psychological safety and ask for examples of how participants felt engaged in the meeting. Collecting this data and advancing the insights will help build and expand the leader’s toolkit for creating inclusive meetings.