Handling Meeting Overload

Neurodiversity 101: Creating neuroinclusive meetings 5 ways to getting started: 1.Provide agendas and materials in advance. Share clear agendas, objectives, and relevant documents well ahead of time. This supports those who need time to process information or prefer to prepare, including many neurodivergent people. 2.Offer multiple ways to contribute Allow contributions via chat, shared documents, or follow-up emails—not just verbal input. This accommodates different communication preferences and reduces pressure to speak spontaneously. 3.Be mindful of sensory environments Minimise distractions like background noise or harsh lighting. Offer camera-off options and use virtual backgrounds that are not visually overwhelming. 4.Clarify expectations and timeframes State how long the meeting will last, what decisions (if any) are expected, and who is responsible for next steps. Predictability reduces anxiety and supports executive functioning. 5. Build in breaks and check-ins For longer meetings, schedule short breaks. Briefly check in at the start and end to see how people are doing, which fosters psychological safety and a sense of inclusion. What else do you think?

Silence is not the absence of thought or engagement. It is often the incubator of great ideas. As someone who is naturally more reserved and quiet, I've often stumbled to speak in meetings, especially early on in my career. The louder voices tend to dominate the room, creating an intimidating environment where contributing feels akin to entering a yelling contest. Over time, I moved past this by developing my own strategy including preparing points beforehand, gathering my thoughts before speaking, writing detailed notes and sending them out after meetings, and asserting myself in a calm manner that felt natural to me. I wanted to write this post as a reminder for those who often hold the metaphorical microphone, to make room for the quieter voices in meetings. These individuals, often younger or part of minority groups typically bring unique observations, shaped by their distinct experiences. You can make meetings more inclusive by: 1. Establishing Company Meeting Norms: This can involve setting expectations for how meetings are conducted, including scheduling, setting agendas, participant list, rules of engagement and making it a must to distribute relevant information in advance, allowing everyone to come prepared. This also makes them more efficient ;) 2. Assigning a Facilitator: It's useful to have a designated person for each meeting to ensure smooth operation. They take on this role to ensure different opinions are heard, notes & action items are taken, and overall, that the meeting runs both efficiently and effectively. This role alternates between meeting attendees, and creates a collective sense of responsibility. 3. Creating Space for Silence: Instead of rushing to fill every moment with words, allow moments of silence after prompts and issues/challenges are presented. This gives people a chance to process information, formulate their thoughts, and contributes to a less pressured environment, often allowing for a more conclusive conversation. How do you include quieter voices in your meetings/team discussions? Share your strategies below! 👇🏼

Regardless of how great your ideas are in your virtual sales pitch, webinar, or team meeting… People are most likely checking their email, browsing social media, or working on other things while you present. How can you prevent that and actually get your audience to pay attention? Here are 4 of the most powerful techniques we use for our own virtual training courses: 1. Win the first five seconds According to research from the University of Toronto, people need only five seconds to gauge your charisma and leadership as a speaker. In virtual environments, this first impression is even more critical. To establish instant rapport: - Keep your posture open and inviting (avoid fidgeting, crossed arms, and closed-off postures) - Use open gestures that welcome the audience into your space - Gesture with your palms showing at a 45-degree angle - Speak with clear articulation and energy from the very first word The quickest way to lose your audience? Starting with tentative body language that signals you’re unsure or unprepared. 2. Design your presentation for virtual viewing When designing slides, assume varied viewing conditions. Design for the smallest likely device and the slowest likely Internet speed. Make your slides accessible by: - Using larger fonts (24-32pt) - Applying higher contrast colors - Limiting each slide to ONE clear idea - Adding more space between lines when using smaller text - Stripping excess content (you can provide additional information in a separate document) 3. Vary your delivery Our research shows the optimal length for linear presentations is just 16-30 minutes, while interactive ones can maintain engagement for 30-45 minutes. People’s attention will go through peaks and valleys during that time, so try these techniques to keep their attention: - Vary your speaking pace (faster to convey urgency, slower to express gravity) - Use intentional pauses to let key points land - Adjust your vocal tone (lower pitch for authority, higher for approachability) - Shift between slides, stories, and data at regular intervals Each change helps reset your audience’s attention and signals importance. 4. Build in structured interaction Don’t make your audience wait until the end of your presentation to interact. According to our research, presentations that incorporate audience engagement through polls, chat responses, or breakout discussions maintain attention longer. For the highest engagement: - Use a variety of interaction types throughout your presentation - Incorporate breakout rooms for small-group discussions - Switch modalities regularly to keep it interesting Remember: In virtual environments, you need to recreate the natural engagement that happens in person. Your virtual presentation success isn’t measured by perfection…it’s measured by action. Master these techniques and your audience won’t just pay attention, they’ll respond. #VirtualPresentations #CorporateTraining #WorkplaceLearning

Nobody stole your time. You handed it over. One "quick sync" at a time. Employees spend 18 hours a week in meetings. Leaders? 23 hours. That's 1,200 hours a year. Harvard says 71% of them are wasted. You don't have a productivity problem. You have a calendar problem. Here's how to fix it: CHANGE THE CADENCE • Default to 25 minutes, not 60 • Test weekly → bi-weekly → monthly • If skipping it doesn't break anything, kill it CAPTURE THE COST • Hours × Salaries × Attendees = Real cost • Spotify killed 72% of standing meetings • And shipped 2x the next quarter CLEAN THE SLATE • Cancel everything for one week • Observe what actually breaks • Only rebuild the essential SEND A DELEGATE • Your presence isn't always the point • Empower others to decide and report back • Developing judgment >> Attending everything SEND A DOCUMENT • Status updates don't need a room • Decisions and problem-solving do • Stop confusing them USE AI AS YOUR PROXY • Stop attending meetings just to take notes • Let AI summarize, capture, and distribute • Save the room for contributing humans SYNCHRONIZE YOUR SCHEDULE • Mornings are for deep work, not check-ins • Batch all meetings into one afternoon block • Treat your focus time like a board meeting The uncomfortable truth: Most leaders complain about too many meetings. Then accept every invite that lands in their inbox. Your calendar reflects reality. Your actual priorities, not your aspirational ones. Every meeting you accept is a trade. Every "quick sync" is a tax on your best thinking. Every hour on Zoom is an hour not building something that matters. Stop asking: "Can I attend this meeting?" Start asking: "What am I giving up to be there?" Make today an in-office vacation day. Delcine your meetings. Do real work. And learn what happens when you let go. 🔔 Follow Dave Kline for more leadership insights ♻️ Share to help someone reclaim their calendar

For over 20 years, I’ve coached Fortune 500 CEOs. Along the way, I’ve sat in thousands of meetings, boardrooms, off-sites, and virtual calls that should have been emails. Here’s what I’ve learned: most meetings fail before they even start. Not because people aren’t smart or the agenda is wrong. Because the collaboration happens in the wrong place. Here are four shifts that will transform how your team meets. 1. Move the debate before the meeting. The best teams don’t show up to learn and debate for the first time. They show up having already been briefed and weighed in asynchronously, in shared documents, with real thinking on the table. The meeting becomes a decision room. 2. Shrink the room. Not everyone needs to be there. If someone’s contribution is already captured in the pre-work, free them. Smaller rooms move faster. They also talk more honestly. 3. Assign dissent. Consensus is comfortable, but it’s also dangerous. The highest-performing teams I’ve coached assign the team to provide challenges. Not to be difficult, but to make the final decision stronger. 4. End with commitments, not summaries. Most meetings end with a recap of what was said. That’s useless. End with who owns what and by when. Clarity beats closure. If you do these four things, your meetings won’t just feel better. They’ll actually produce results.

🌐 "How can we lead inclusive team meetings when our team is so widely distributed across timezones?" That's a question our #Inclusion Strategy team at Netflix has been reflecting on quite a bit lately – and that's surely not an issue we face alone. Here are some ideas that popped up as we put our geographically distance heads together to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to participate in discussions that are relevant to all: 1️⃣ Establish a Meeting Time Rotation: to ensure fair participation, create a rotating schedule for your meetings. This means alternating meeting times to accommodate different time zones, so that each team member has an opportunity to attend during their regular working hours on a rotating basis. 2️⃣ Consider Core Overlapping Hours: identify the core overlapping hours when the majority of team members are available. Aim to schedule important meetings during these hours to maximize attendance. This may require some flexibility from all team members, but it fosters a sense of shared responsibility for ensuring everyone's voice can be heard. 3️⃣ Prioritise Meeting Relevance: ensure that meetings are called only when it's essential for all team members to be present. Avoid scheduling meetings for routine updates that can be shared asynchronously, giving team members more flexibility to manage their schedules. 4️⃣ Create Pre-Meeting Materials: provide agendas, and key discussion points well in advance, so team members who cannot attend live sessions can still contribute their input asynchronously. This way, everyone can stay informed and engaged in the decision-making process. 5️⃣ Encourage Rotating Facilitation: consider rotating meeting facilitators to accommodate different time zones. This not only distributes the responsibility but also allows team members from various geographies to lead discussions and bring diverse perspectives to the forefront. 6️⃣ Use Inclusive Meeting Technologies: leverage virtual meeting tools with features like real-time chat and polling to foster engagement from all participants, regardless of their location. Consider having all meetings recorded by default (unless there's a compelling reason not to), streamlining access to the team immediately after each recording is ready. 7️⃣ Promote Open Feedback Channels: establish channels for team members to asynchronously provide feedback on meeting times and themes, and communication methods. 8️⃣ Acknowledge and Respect Personal & Cultural Differences: be mindful of cultural practices and observances that may impact team members' availability or participation. Strive to do the same about individuals' needs, too (like dropping kids at school). These strategies can help create an inclusive and equitable approach to meetings, enhancing the chances of all team members feeling valued and empowered to contribute. How else can you foster that? 🤔

Hybrid Meetings ≠ Inclusive Meetings. I’ve lived it - and here’s 5 practical tips to ensure everyone has a voice, regardless of location. I spent more than 10,000 hours in hybrid meetings while as a remote leader for The Clorox Company. I was often the 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 remote attendee - while the rest of the group sat together in a conference room at HQ. Here’s what I learned the hard way: 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲... ...by showing who gets heard, who feels seen, and who gets left out. If you're leading a distributed or hybrid team, how you structure your meetings sends a loud message about what (and who) matters. 𝟱 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝘆𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: 1️⃣ 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 – who will actively combat distance bias and invite input from all meeting members 2️⃣ 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗿 – to monitor the chat and the raised hands, to launch polls and to free up the facilitator to focus on the flow 3️⃣ 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗴 𝗶𝗻 - so that there is equal access to the chat, polls, and reactions 4️⃣ 𝗕𝘂𝗱𝗱𝘆 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 – pair remote team members with in-room allies to help make space in the conversation and ensure they can see and hear everything 5️⃣ 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽 𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘂𝗽 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻 – be ready with a Plan B for audio, video, or connectivity issues in the room 𝘞𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳? 𝗧𝗿𝘆 𝗮 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹-𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. If even one person is remote, have everyone log in from their own device from their own workspace to create a level playing field. 🔗 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀 for creating location-inclusive distributed teams in this Nano Tool I wrote for Wharton Executive Education: https://lnkd.in/eUKdrDVn #LIPostingDayApril

Too often people are expected to rush from one thing to the next without any time to transition. (back-to-back meetings, conferences without breaks in between sessions, etc) But our brains need time to process information and transition. And some people may need more time to shift from one activity to another. For example: Autistic and ADHDers when we are in hyperfocus (a state of deep concentration). Sometimes we self-impose the frenzy ourselves. We forget, or don’t allow ourselves time for the “in-between” things (use the bathroom, drink water, find the document, write down important to-dos from the last meeting, take a moment to breath and gather our thoughts etc…) You can be a more effective leader and colleague by: - Including breaks in event programs and conference schedules - Giving transition time “Let’s take 5 minutes before our next meeting to transition” - Giving advance notice: "We will leave here in 15 minutes" - Encouraging 50-55 minute meeting default (instead of 60) so people have transition time between back-to-back meetings If you are neurodivergent, do you build enough transition time into your day? Let’s give ourselves some breathing room 😊 This is your Minds of All Kinds tip of the week. #CognitiveAccessibility #NeuroInclusion [Image Description: A square black and white graphic. headline: "Add Transition Time." Below is an illustration of three squares in a row. The middle square is outlined and empty, showing a gap between two solid black squares. A down arrow points from the headline to the illustration. Minds of All Kinds TIPS logo at the bottom.]

An Insight into Managing Meeting-Intensive Days Recently, I had an enlightening 1:1 with one of our young designers. They asked, "After a day filled with back-to-back meetings, I'm exhausted. How do you handle this, given most of your days are meeting-heavy?" This scenario is common for many of us managing large teams and products. Here are some strategies I've developed to thrive when meetings dominate your schedule: 1. Mindset Shift: Recognize that meetings are work too, especially in large organizations. As a young designer, I viewed meetings as productivity thieves. Now I understand they're integral to the work process. 2. Calendar Mastery: I structure my day via my calendar, scheduling focus times, breaks, and meetings. I batch tasks and allocate them to ensure time-sensitive work gets done. 3. Pomodoro Technique: I aim for 24 pomodoros daily, equating to 12 hours of intense work. This includes writing, thinking, conversations, tasks, and team interactions. On lower-energy days, I listen to my body and adjust accordingly. 4. Micro-Breaks: Between meetings, I take 3-minute rejuvenation breaks. My toolkit includes: - Breathwork (sukha kriya, nadhi shuddi, 4-2-5-2 breathing with mudras) - Quick exercises (e.g., a set of squats) - Mindfulness practices (breath awareness meditation) - Short walks (using a walk pad or stepping outside) 5. Deep Listening: During meetings, I practice full engagement without multitasking. If a meeting doesn't align with my priorities, I respectfully decline or leave, communicating my reasons authentically. 6. Efficient Follow-up: I rarely revisit recordings, treating them as equivalent to attending meetings. When necessary, I schedule dedicated time for this. 7. Comprehensive Note-taking: I document discussions systematically, which helps track learning and identify recurring themes for myself and others. 8. Operational Rigor: I maintain high standards in self-management and task execution. This operational excellence keeps work flowing smoothly and maintains quality. These practices have transformed how I navigate meeting-intensive days, balancing productivity with well-being. What strategies do you employ to manage your energy during meeting-heavy periods? I'd love to hear your insights! #workdesign

How To Eliminate 90% Of Meetings (And Win Back 20+ Hours / Week): 1. Meetings Are Killing Your Focus The average employee is stuck in 5+ meetings per day. Meetings have risen by 70% over the past two years. And while you're in those meetings? You're getting pinged on Slack and email. That's killing your productivity. How do you fix it? 2. Create "Deep Work" Zones Deep work is where the true magic happens. Look at your schedule and find a 3 hour period every day. Completely block it off on your calendar. I recommend scheduling it for the beginning of the day. Your work gets done, everyone else's can wait. 3. Set Expectations Tell you're colleagues you're trying something new. You've noticed your focus and productivity taking a hit. As a result, you've created blocks for "Deep Work" from X - Y time during the day. If it's a true emergency, they can reach you via X channel. 4. Don't Stop At Deep Work People will scramble to meet with you after your deep work period. Don't feel guilty or succumb to that. Instead, offer alternatives. I have a 3 step process: - Offer email - Offer video - Offer a 10 minute meeting Let's break down each: 5. Push Back With Email Someone dropped a meeting on your calendar? Send them a politely reply saying: "Hi, I saw your invite but I’m currently working to finish [Thing] by [Deadline]. Would it be possible to send over a summary via email? I'll get you my thoughts ASAP." 6. Push Back With Video Email isn't gunna work for them? Offer up asynchronous video! I prefer Loom. "Totally understand that it's a lot to type out. Would it be easier to record a video explaining everything? You can use a tool like Loom!" Video makes people feel seen. 7. The 15 Minute Meeting Can't skirt the meeting? Send an invite for a 15 minute slot Ask them to send all relevant info ahead of time Ask for a tangible outcome for the meeting This saves you time, while ensuring the other person gets what they need too.