How to Run More Inclusive Meetings
Inclusive meetings don’t happen by chance. With awareness of bias and small, deliberate changes, leaders can create spaces where every voice is heard and valued. Hayley Barnard, CEO of Mix Diversity, shares six practical ways to transform everyday meetings for the better.
Meetings take up a large chunk of our working lives. When done well, they can improve collaboration, decision-making and the quality of working life for everyone. But when they go wrong, they can exclude voices, reinforce bias and stifle creativity.
Unfortunately, many meetings fall into the latter category. They become a “hotbed of exclusion”, where only some voices are heard. Inclusive meetings aim to change that by creating the conditions where people who are different from one another can speak their truth openly and comfortably.
Even with the best of intentions, meetings are prone to exclusion because of how our brains are wired. Three common biases show up time and again:
Conformity bias
Our instinct to align with the group.
This is sometimes called “herd behaviour” and is particularly strong within close-knit teams. While it feels safe, it can silence new or challenging perspectives.
Groupthink
The collective desire for harmony or agreement.
On the surface, everyone may nod along, but the real conversations often happen afterwards at the coffee machine. Important ideas are lost because they weren’t voiced in the room.
Authority bias
The tendency to give greater weight to the opinions of senior people.
If a leader opens a meeting by saying what they think, it can unconsciously shape everyone’s response and discourage dissenting views.
In practice, these biases reinforce one another, so without conscious effort, meetings can stifle genuine discussion.
Practical Ways to Make Meetings Inclusive
The good news is that leaders and teams can take small, practical steps to make meetings more inclusive. Here are six ideas to try:
1. Hold Back Your Opinion as a Leader
If you are chairing a meeting, resist the urge to state your view first. Doing so can unintentionally shut down alternative perspectives. Instead, give others the space to share before you weigh in.
2. Rotate Meeting Leadership
Invite different people in the team to chair meetings. Not only does this spread responsibility and develop skills, but it also encourages different styles of engagement, making it easier for colleagues to contribute authentically.
3. Make Sure Every Voice is Heard
Rather than simply asking if anyone has more to add at the end, go around the table (or virtual screen) and invite each person by name to share any final thoughts. This ensures quieter members, or those who need more processing time, have the opportunity to speak.
4. Appoint a “Challenger”
Assign someone the task of playing devil’s advocate. By actively asking one person to spot flaws or raise risks, you legitimise challenge and reduce the risk of groupthink setting in.
5. Stop Interruptions
Research shows that women are interrupted more than men in meetings. Leaders should step in if the same people are repeatedly talked over. Simple rules like “no interruptions” help signal that everyone’s contribution matters. Recording and reviewing who speaks most in meetings can also shine a light on patterns.
6. Normalise Constructive Disagreement
Disagreement is not a failure of a meeting – it can be a sign that diverse perspectives are being voiced. Encourage healthy debate and consider bringing in colleagues from different departments or backgrounds to broaden the conversation.
Lead inclusively
From running better meetings to shaping inclusive policies, our inclusive leadership training equips leaders at every level to make meaningful change.
Paying Attention to the Small Things
Beyond structure and process, small behaviours matter. In remote meetings, for example, visibly listening – looking at the screen, nodding, showing genuine interest – makes a real difference. Making use of chat functions or private messages to invite contributions can also help quieter colleagues to take part.
The Bigger Picture
Meetings are at the heart of decision-making and team collaboration. When they are inclusive, they do more than just improve productivity – they ensure that people feel respected and valued, and that better ideas rise to the surface. By recognising bias, creating space for every voice, and viewing disagreements as opportunities rather than setbacks, organisations can run meetings where contributions are genuinely heard.
MixLEARN’s Inclusive Leadership Training Collection can help you turn ideas into action, change your company culture and lead from the top. Contact us to find out more.
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