At some point in your first job, you will be asked to organize a meeting: a project check-in, a planning session with another team or a quick call to resolve a problem. Running a meeting well is a visible skill. People notice when a meeting starts on time, stays focused and ends with clear next steps, and they remember when one wastes their time.
You do not need seniority to run a good meeting. You need preparation and a simple structure.
Step 1: Decide whether you need a meeting
Before sending an invitation, ask:
- Could this be an email, a chat message or a comment in a shared document?
- Do we need a discussion or a decision, or just to share information?
- Who truly needs to be there?
If you only need to share an update, write it. If you need input from several people quickly, a short meeting may be best. Our guide to async work explains alternatives.
Step 2: Define the purpose and outcome
Write one sentence: “By the end of this meeting, we will have…” For example:
- “…agreed on the launch date for the new help articles.”
- “…assigned owners for the five open onboarding tasks.”
If you cannot complete the sentence, the meeting is not ready.
Step 3: Invite the right people
Invite only people who need to contribute or decide. Mark others as optional or send them a summary afterwards. Check calendars and time zones before choosing a time.
Step 4: Write a short agenda
Include the agenda in the invitation:
Meeting invitation
Purpose: Agree owners and dates for the onboarding checklist update
Duration: 25 minutes
Agenda:
1. Quick review of the draft checklist (5 min) – link
2. Discuss the IT setup timing issue (10 min)
3. Assign owners and deadlines (8 min)
4. Confirm next steps (2 min)
Before the meeting: please skim the draft and add comments
A clear agenda lets people prepare and keeps the conversation focused. Shorter meetings, such as 25 or 50 minutes instead of 30 or 60, give people a buffer between calls.
Step 5: Run the meeting
Start on time
Begin promptly, even if one person is late. Restate the purpose: “Thanks for joining. Our goal today is to agree owners and dates for the checklist update.”
Keep to time
Watch the clock or ask someone to keep time. If a topic runs long, suggest: “This needs more discussion. Shall we set up a separate conversation with the people involved?”
Encourage contributions
Invite quieter people in by name: “Priya, you work with new hires most; what do you think?” Summarize points to check understanding.
Capture decisions and actions
Take notes or ask a colleague to. Focus on:
- Decisions made.
- Action items, owners and deadlines.
- Open questions.
Our guide to writing actionable meeting notes includes a template.
End clearly
Two minutes before the end, review actions: “So, Sam will update the IT step by Wednesday, and I’ll send the final checklist on Friday.” End on time or early.
Step 6: Follow up
Send a short summary within a few hours:
Follow-up summary
Subject: Onboarding checklist – decisions and next steps
Thanks everyone. Summary:
– Decision: IT setup moves to day 1.
– Sam: update IT instructions by Wed.
– Priya: review welcome email by Thu.
– Jordan: publish final checklist Fri.
Open question: whether to add a day-3 check-in (Jordan to ask Maria).
Running meetings as a new employee
It can feel awkward to lead colleagues who are more experienced. A few phrases help:
- “To make the best use of everyone’s time, I’ve put together a short agenda.”
- “I want to make sure we leave with clear owners.”
- “Let’s park that topic and come back to it at the end if we have time.”
Preparation earns respect more than seniority does.
Remote and hybrid meetings
Share your screen with the agenda or document, ask everyone to use the same document for notes and make sure remote participants can speak. See our guide to communicating clearly on a remote team.
Write the outcome before the invite
Next time you need input from colleagues, write the one-sentence outcome first. If a meeting is the right tool, send an agenda with time per item and follow up with a summary the same day. If you are more comfortable listening than leading, our guide for introverts fitting into a new team has tips for speaking up.