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120 Example Phrases: How To Run a Business Meeting Effectively

Good meetings can boost teamwork and move projects forward. They help everyone stay on the same page and make decisions faster. But bad meetings waste time and leave people feeling frustrated. This article will show you how to run meetings that people actually want to attend. You’ll learn tips for setting clear goals, keeping things on track, and making sure everyone’s voice is heard. Get ready to become a meeting pro!

Pre-Meeting Preparation

1. Designing an Effective Meeting Agenda

Create a roadmap for your meeting. List the topics you’ll cover and how long you’ll spend on each.

Example

  1. Welcome and introductions (5 minutes)
  2. Review last month’s sales numbers (15 minutes)
  3. Discuss new marketing strategy (25 minutes)
  4. Questions and next steps (15 minutes)

Send the agenda to attendees before the meeting. This lets them come prepared with ideas and questions.

2. Inviting the Right Participants

Think carefully about who needs to be there. Invite people who can contribute to the goals you set. (Don’t forget to include decision-makers if you need approvals.)

Let invitees know why their presence matters. (For example: “We need your expertise on […].“) This helps people understand their role in the meeting.

Kicking Off the Meeting

Starting a meeting well sets the tone for success. A strong opening gets everyone focused and ready to participate.

Opening the Meeting with Impact

A positive start gets everyone engaged right away. Here are some phrases to kick things off:

  • Welcome everyone, let’s get started.
  • Thanks for joining us today.
  • I’m excited to dive into our agenda.
  • Let’s begin our meeting on a high note.
  • I appreciate you all being here on time.
  • We have a lot to cover, so let’s jump right in.
  • I’m looking forward to our discussion today.
  • Let’s make the most of our time together.
  • We’ve got an important topic to address.
  • I’m glad to see so many of you here.

Your opening sets the mood, so keep it upbeat and focused.

Introducing Ourselves and Others

Introductions help build connections, especially if some attendees are new. Use these phrases to make introductions smooth:

  • Let’s go around and introduce ourselves.
  • Please share your name and role.
  • I’d like to welcome our new team member, [Name].
  • [Name], would you like to tell us about yourself?
  • Let’s take a moment for quick introductions.
  • I’m [Your Name], and I’ll be leading today’s meeting.
  • We have a few new faces today. Welcome!
  • Could each person share one interesting fact?
  • I’m excited to learn more about everyone here.
  • Let’s start with names and departments.

Outlining the Agenda

A clear agenda keeps the meeting on track. You can use these phrases to present your plan:

  • Here’s what we’ll cover today.
  • Our main topics are [Topic 1], [Topic 2], and [Topic 3].
  • We have three key points to discuss.
  • Let’s review our goals for this meeting.
  • I’ve sent out the agenda. Any questions before we start?
  • Our focus today will be on [Main Topic].
  • We’ll spend about 15 minutes on each item.
  • Are there any points we need to add?
  • Let’s aim to wrap up by [Time].
  • Our top priority today is [Key Issue].

A well-outlined agenda helps everyone stay focused and makes the best use of your time together.

Conduct During the Meeting

Good meetings rely on everyone working together and staying focused. These tips will help you contribute positively and get the most out of your time.

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Fostering a Collaborative Environment

You can help create a friendly atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable sharing ideas. Try these phrases:

  • “Great point, [Name]. What do others think?”
  • “I like that idea. How could we build on it?”
  • “Thanks for sharing. Can you tell us more?”
  • “I’m curious to hear everyone’s thoughts on this.”
  • “Let’s go around the room for quick input.”
  • “What other angles should we consider?”
  • “How does this fit with our goals?”
  • “[Name], you’ve been quiet. What’s your take?”
  • “Can someone play devil’s advocate here?”
  • “Let’s take a moment to brainstorm solutions.”

Navigating the Discussion

Keeping talks on track is key for a good meeting. Pay attention to the agenda and time limits. Gently steer the group back if things go off-topic. (Make sure everyone gets a chance to speak.) Try using these phrases:

  • “To stay on schedule, let’s move to the next item.”
  • “That’s an interesting point for another time.”
  • “Can we circle back to our main topic?”
  • “We have 10 minutes left. What are our next steps?”
  • “Let’s pause here and recap what we’ve decided.”
  • “I’d like to hear from those who haven’t spoken yet.”
  • “Can we take that offline and focus on [topic] now?”
  • “What do we need to resolve before we end?”
  • “Are we all clear on the action items?”
  • “Let’s park that idea for now and come back to it later.”

Handling Interruptions Gracefully

Interruptions can throw off a meeting’s flow. Deal with them calmly to keep things running smoothly. For example:

  • “Sorry, can we let [Name] finish their thought?”
  • “Hold that thought, [Name]. [Speaker] was in the middle of explaining.”
  • “Let’s hear the rest of [Name]’s idea before we respond.”
  • “I know you’re eager to share, but let’s wait for a pause.”
  • “We value your input. Can you jot that down for when [Name] finishes?”
  • “Thanks for your enthusiasm. Let’s come back to you in a moment.”
  • “I’d like to hear how [Speaker] planned to wrap up that point.”
  • “Let’s take turns to ensure everyone is heard.”
  • “We have limited time, so let’s focus on one speaker at a time.”
  • “Great energy! Can we channel that into our brainstorming session later?”

Asking Questions Effectively

Asking the right questions can uncover important info and spark useful discussions:

  • “Can you tell me more about…?”
  • “What’s your take on…?”
  • “How does this impact…?”
  • “What challenges do you see with…?”
  • “Could you give an example of…?”
  • “What are the next steps for…?”
  • “How can we improve…?”
  • “What resources do we need for…?”
  • “Who else should we involve in…?”
  • “What’s the timeline for…?”

Providing and Soliciting Feedback

Giving and getting feedback keeps everyone in the loop and helps improve work. Try these phrases:

  • “I liked how you…”
  • “What do you think about…?”
  • “Could you share your thoughts on…?”
  • “How can we make this better?”
  • “What’s working well for you?”
  • “Is there anything you’d change?”
  • “Do you have any concerns about…?”
  • “What support do you need?”
  • “Can you walk me through your process?”
  • “How can I help you succeed?”

(When asking for feedback, be open to different viewpoints.)

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Discussing Updates and Sharing Perspectives

Sharing updates and ideas keeps projects moving and brings new insights. You can use these phrases:

  • “Here’s what I’ve been working on…”
  • “My progress on (…) is…”
  • “I’ve noticed that…”
  • “From my point of view…”
  • “Based on my experience…”
  • “I suggest we…”
  • “What if we tried…?”
  • “I’m wondering about…”
  • “Have we considered…?”
  • “I’d like to bring up…”

Wrapping Up the Meeting

Ending a meeting well helps everyone leave with a clear idea of what happened and what’s next.

Summarizing Key Points

Wrap up by going over the main ideas from the meeting. This helps everyone remember what you talked about. Make sure to highlight the big decisions and important points:

  • “Let’s recap our main points.”
  • “We covered three key areas today.”
  • “The big takeaways from our discussion are…”
  • “To sum up, we agreed on…”
  • “Our main focus areas moving forward will be…”
  • “We made progress on these important topics…”
  • “The key decisions we reached today are…”
  • “Let’s review what we’ve accomplished in this meeting.”
  • “Our priorities based on today’s discussion are…”
  • “To wrap up, here are the main points we covered…”

You can also ask if anyone has questions about what you talked about: this gives people a chance to clear up any confusion.

Assigning Action Items and Next Steps

Now it’s time to hand out tasks. Be clear about who needs to do what and when. This keeps the ball rolling after the meeting ends. For example:

  • “Sarah, can you take the lead on the marketing plan?”
  • “John, please send out the meeting notes by Friday.”
  • “We need someone to research new suppliers. Any volunteers?”
  • “Let’s set a deadline of next Tuesday for the first draft.”
  • “Who wants to be in charge of organizing the team-building event?”
  • “Mary, can you follow up with the client about their concerns?”
  • “Everyone, please review the new policy by our next meeting.”
  • “Tom, you’ll head up the budget review, right?”
  • “Let’s all come prepared with ideas for the new project next time.”
  • “Jane, can you create a timeline for the launch?”

Write down all the tasks and who’s doing them. This helps avoid confusion later. Set clear deadlines for each task.

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Thanking Attendees and Closing

End on a good note by thanking everyone for their time and input. This makes people feel valued and more likely to stay engaged.

  • “Thanks everyone for your great ideas today.”
  • “I really appreciate your time and input.”
  • “Great job staying focused and productive.”
  • “Your contributions today were really helpful.”
  • “Thanks for making this a productive meeting.”
  • “I’m excited about the progress we made today.”
  • “Your insights are always valuable. Thank you all.”
  • “Let’s give ourselves a round of applause for a job well done.”
  • “I’m looking forward to seeing these ideas come to life.”
  • “Thanks for your energy and enthusiasm today.”

Let people know when and where the next meeting will be. If there’s no next meeting planned, tell them how you’ll keep in touch about the project.

After the Meeting

Wrapping up a meeting is just the beginning. Taking the right steps afterward can make all the difference in turning decisions into actions and keeping everyone on the same page.

Following Up on Action Items

After a meeting, it’s important to follow up on action items quickly. Send out a list of tasks within 24 hours. This helps people remember what they agreed to do.

Make the list clear and simple. Include:

  • Who is responsible
  • What needs to be done
  • When it’s due

Check in with team members regularly about their progress. A quick email or chat message can work wonders. It shows you care and helps keep things moving.

Sharing Meeting Minutes and Outcomes

Good meeting notes are gold. They help everyone remember what was decided and why. Send out your notes soon after the meeting ends.

Keep your minutes short and to the point. Include:

  • Key decisions made
  • Main discussion points
  • Action items (with owners and due dates)

Use bullet points to make the notes easy to scan. Bold important parts to catch the eye.

Ask attendees to review the minutes. This gives them a chance to catch any mistakes or add missing info. It also serves as a reminder of what was discussed.

Store the minutes where everyone can find them easily. A shared folder or team wiki works well. This way, people can refer back to them anytime they need to.

Posted in: Meetings