Remember to state the purpose of the meeting in the agenda and then reiterate it at the start of the meeting. Make the purpose of the meeting clear. It’s amazing how much time gets invested in meetings where no one really knows why the meeting is happening. Here are some best practices for starting your next meeting: A good start to a meeting is like an overture: It sets the tone, introduces the major themes, and provides a preview of what you can expect.

If you want to have a more productive meeting, focus on a strong opening. Monologues validate everyone’s fears that your meeting is going to be about as valuable (and as scintillating) as watching an hour of C-SPAN. Issues opened for discussion with no clear purpose get hijacked by participants with a clearer agenda than yours. But do you ever think about the first impression your meetings make? Frequently restarting meetings for stragglers sends the message that participants have more control than you do. We all know there’s a price to pay for a making bad first impression: A limp handshake conveys low confidence a wrinkled suit makes you seem lazy oversharing comes across as emotional instability.

Starting a zoom meeting