How to Run Meetings That Don’t Suck
Have you ever walked out of a meeting and thought, “That could’ve been an email”? You’re not alone. According to an MIT article, this frustration now has a name: Meeting Recovery Syndrome—the mental fatigue and time lost recovering after a bad meeting.
Luckily, there’s hope. With the right mindset and structure, meetings can be productive, even energizing. One powerful method is the 40-20-40 Rule from the book How to Fix Meetings, which recommends:
🔹 40% of your effort should go into preparation
🔹 20% into the actual meeting
🔹 And 40% into follow-through
Let’s break down this approach with 10 actionable tips that could actually make your meetings worth attending.
🔧 Preparation is Key (40% of Your Effort)
1. The Go/No-Go Test
Ask: Is this meeting truly necessary? Cancel or skip it if:
- It’s just an update that could be sent in a message
- Key decision-makers are unavailable
- Feedback could be gathered asynchronously
2. Don’t Over-Invite
Keep the guest list lean. One rep per department is often enough. If someone leaves without an action item, they probably didn’t need to be there.
3. The OC Combo: Objective + Context
Every invite should include a clear objective (action-oriented) and relevant context or links. Busy people will appreciate the clarity, and others can explore deeper if needed.
4. Pre-Alignment = Less Drama
Ping stakeholders before the meeting to spot concerns or misalignments. This makes the actual meeting smoother and shows respect for people’s time and input.
🎤 During the Meeting (Only 20% of the Time)
5. Inclusive Facilitation
Use tools like Slido, polls, or digital word clouds so quieter voices get heard. A balanced conversation increases engagement and diversity of thought.
6. Use a Parking Lot (and Mean It)
Off-topic but valuable ideas? Park them on a whiteboard or doc. Acknowledge them, but stay on track—and follow up later to build trust.
7. Assign Action Items by Name
Say your action item first, then go around and assign next steps by name. This removes ambiguity and ensures accountability. No more “we all agreed” vagueness.
📬 After the Meeting (The Final 40%)
8. Send a Sharp Summary
Quickly share a follow-up:
- A warm opening line
- 1–2 key takeaways
- Clear action items tied to individual names
Use an ongoing thread for recurring meetings to keep context alive.
9. Prep Their Debrief for Them
Make it easy for attendees to brief their teams. Provide a pre-drafted message or slide they can tweak. This boosts follow-through and reduces confusion.
10. Bribery (Sort of)
A little kindness goes a long way. Bring coffee, snacks, or even a compliment. The reciprocity effect kicks in—people engage more when they feel appreciated.
☕ Final Thought
Meetings don’t have to suck. By front-loading prep and reinforcing follow-up, you make the most of everyone’s time—and avoid contributing to the growing epidemic of Meeting Recovery Syndrome.
✨ Magic Text Activity – B1 Level
Topic: Meetings That Don’t Suck
Grammar Focus: Present Perfect Tense
Phrasal Verbs: Set up, follow up, run over, bring up, go over, take on, figure out
1. 🌟 The Magic Text
We’ve all sat through meetings that have gone over the scheduled time or felt pointless. Many people have brought up the idea that some meetings could be emails instead.
Recently, some teams have set up better systems to make meetings more productive. They’ve figured out how to prepare better, include only the right people, and always follow up with clear action items.
In my team, we’ve taken on a new approach. Every meeting has a clear purpose. We also use a “parking lot” to keep discussions focused. Since we started doing this, our meetings have been shorter and more effective.
🔁 Present perfect tense examples:
- We’ve sat through…
- Some teams have set up…
- They’ve figured out…
- We’ve taken on…
2. ❓ Challenging Questions
✍️ Text-Based Questions
- What changes have some teams made to improve their meetings?
- Why is the “parking lot” technique useful?
- Which phrasal verbs in the text can be used to describe:
- starting a meeting
- mentioning a topic
- doing something after the meeting ends
💬 Personal & Professional Questions
- Have you ever set up a meeting by yourself? How did it go?
- What problems have you had in past meetings?
- What tips have worked for you to make meetings more productive?
- Have your team members ever brought up difficult topics in meetings? How did you handle it?
- What new habits or strategies have you taken on recently at work?
3. ⚙️ Grammar Exploration
✅ Present Perfect (have/has + past participle)
Used to talk about:
- Experiences
- Changes
- Unfinished time (this week, this year, recently)
| Affirmative | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|
| I have improved my meetings. | I haven’t improved them. | Have you improved them? |
| She has brought up many ideas. | She hasn’t brought up much. | Has she brought up new ideas? |
🔑 Phrasal Verbs
| Phrasal Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Set up | arrange/organize | We’ve set up a new meeting system. |
| Bring up | mention | He has brought up that issue many times. |
| Follow up | check in after | Have you followed up with the team? |
| Go over | review | We’ve gone over the agenda. |
| Take on | accept responsibility | She’s taken on the task of writing the summary. |
| Run over | go past the scheduled time | This meeting has run over again! |
| Figure out | find a solution | We’ve figured out how to save time. |
4. 🎭 Character Perspective Activity
👔 You are the manager of a small team. Your recent meetings have not been productive. You’ve decided to try new strategies.
🔹 Talk to your team (or partner) using present perfect + phrasal verbs:
- “I’ve set up a new rule for shorter meetings.”
- “We haven’t gone over the time this week.”
- “Has anyone followed up with the client?”
5. 🎨 Creative Expansion Tasks
✍️ Writing
Write a short email to your team using at least 3 phrasal verbs and 3 present perfect examples.
Example:
Hi team,
I’ve set up a new calendar for weekly meetings. We’ve gone over the schedule too many times, so I’ve decided to shorten our sessions. Please follow up on your tasks before next Monday.
🗣️ Speaking
Role-play a conversation with a colleague. One person is frustrated with long meetings. The other offers solutions using present perfect and phrasal verbs.
Example:
“Have you noticed our meetings have run over again?”
“Yes, I’ve brought that up before. Maybe we should set up a clear agenda.”
6. 🔄 Wrap-Up & Reflection
✅ What new phrases or expressions have you learned today?
✅ How have your meetings changed recently?
✅ What will you take on or set up to improve your communication?
💡 Tip from Celestia
🛠️ Use phrasal verbs to sound more natural! Instead of saying “organize a meeting,” say “set up a meeting.” Native speakers use phrasal verbs all the time in business English!
