Why Meeting Guidelines Only Work If You Do This First

Why Good Meeting Guidelines
Should Be More Than a Poster

Transform meetings from passive participation to active commitment – why your team should co-create 'Good Meetings Guidelines.'

"A team that crafts their own meeting guidelines isn't just setting rules—they're weaving mutual respect into the fabric of how they work together. - Mike

Why Good Meeting Guidelines Should Be More Than a Poster

We’ve all seen posters in meeting rooms intended to motivate people to stop having meetings that waste time.

Sure, they’re useful. But let’s be honest: how often do people change their behavior just because a laminated sheet of paper hanging on the wall says they should? 

This poster is a good one:

Why? Because there was a negotiation between team members to set up these guidelines. A negotiation that leads to a poster like this is far more impactful than simply displaying a list like this. 

Why? Because when peers collectively decide how they will interact, they are setting mutual expectations—not just about efficiency but about respecting each other’s time, energy, and contributions. And a commitment to show respect is a more powerful motivator.

A Conversation That Changes Culture

Think about it, if a facilitator or manager just slaps a list of rules on the wall, people might nod, but they won’t necessarily feel ownership over those norms. But when a team discusses and negotiates what behaviors will make meetings productive, that’s a different story. That’s a social contract—a shared agreement that, "...this is how we do things here."

And that’s how organizational culture shifts. Not by decree, but by dialogue.

What Happens When Teams Set the Guidelines?

• Greater buy-in: People follow rules they helped create.
• Peer accountability: It's not just the boss enforcing it, it's everyone.

Then, What Happens After That?

• More efficient meetings: Shorter meetings, more ‘on-point’ discussions, clearer next steps, etc.
• Less frustration: People feel heard and that they are part of a team-- meetings don’t feel like a waste of time.

A Practical Example

Look at the set of meeting guidelines above. 

These are solid principles. But imagine the impact if a team negotiated these together. Do you know what your team would emphasize? If you don’t, it is a sure bet that team members don’t know what Good Meeting behaviors they are expected to show. 

The act of co-creating the team's Good Meeting Guidelines is where the magic happens.

How to Get Started

This is not a hard conversation to facilitate. If you wish to introduce meeting guidelines, don’t dictate—facilitate. Ask the team to answer just three questions:

• What makes a meeting productive or frustrating for you?
• What expectations should we hold each other to?
• What’s one small change that we can make right now to start having more productive meetings?

Then, write the agreements down as a group. The words on paper will not just be rules; they’ll be commitments—promises peers make to one another.

And that’s when a poster becomes a powerful tool—not because it is posted on the wall, but because of the conversation that created it.

__________________________________

📫 Get Exclusive Tips! Sign Up Now 📫

__________________________________

____________

👉 👉 👉 FREE GUIDE: Want better outcomes in your next tough conversation?
Grab this free guide with 10 powerful phrases you can use to de-escalate tension, build trust, and get conversations back on track— - -fast.

Download now and keep it handy. 

____________

Free Consultation - Just Ask!

I offer free consultations on conflict, facilitation, difficult meetings, public involvement, online meetings, and collaboration in general. Schedule an opportunity to talk with me about your issue. I promise to not trap you into a marketing message. We will stick to problem-solving on your issue. Click for Appointment

Contact Us:

Michael Fraidenburg
Olympia, WA, USA.
Email Mike

© 2025, Michael E. Fraidenburg. All rights reserved.