Everything you need to know about effective meetings

The average British employee spends 26 working days in meetings each year. That’s more than a typical vacation allowance. If we’re honest, many of these meetings fall short of flawless. Some of them are out-and-out diary pollution.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Here’s a compilation of resources to make sure all of your meetings are worthwhile.

Plan like a pro 📆

• How to plan your next meeting — Apolitical
• A meeting preparation checklist — Institute for Local Government

Start well, start creatively 🎭

• 5 icebreaker themes for high-performance teams — Apolitical
• 5 exercises to rev up your team’s creativity — Apolitical

Liberating structures 🛠️

• Making meetings matter through liberating structures — Apolitical
• How to use liberating structures to revolutionise your meetings, a workshop recording — Apolitical

Inclusion — everyone deserves a voice 🎤

• How to host accessible meetings — Apolitical
• 5 tips for running inclusive meetings — Apolitical
• 15 ways to boost participation and engagement in remote events — Forbes

Outcomes outcomes outcomes 📈

• 3 ways good staff meetings can help get stuff done — Apolitical
• How to lead an effective meeting like a minister — Apolitical

Navigating virtual meetings 🎧

• The public servant’s guide to remote meetings — Apolitical
• I miss people (and maybe my office) — Apolitical
• Best practices for virtual meetings — Civic Plus

When to speak up (and when to hold back) 🗣️

• Don’t show off, and don’t ramble — HBR

Escaping bad meetings 🚪

• How to break free from gridlocked conversations — Apolitical

Foster deeper connections 🔗

• Teambuilding: what works for public servants — Apolitical
• How stillness and meditation can re-invent workshops and meetings — Apolitical
• 5 pulse-checking exercises to see how your team is getting on — Apolitical

Become an expert meeting host 📚

• The public servant’s guide to better meetings — Apolitical