Imagine you are meeting with your boss in their office.
While you are talking they are glancing at their computer screen to the left and then looking down at their phone. They ask a question about something you just explained pretty clearly.
When you are in a meeting with someone who is not present, you might as well not be there at all. Yet – this happens all the time. This is not the kind of leader you want to be!
At the same time, distractions are somewhat understandable. People are in a rush, a lot of leaders are burned out, and we are all easily distracted by social media.
Here are some suggestions, based on a recent Harvard Business Review article, on how you can be more “present” in meetings.
Discipline yourself. Prior to every meeting:
*Set Your Intention. Your top goal is for the other person to be fully heard. This meeting is about them, not about you being a hero by solving their problem. Put your phone away and turn the computer screen away from you.
*Shift to Calm. Take two minutes before every meeting to relax, be silent, and focus on your intention.
*Stay Curious. Resist the temptation to jump in with solutions to the issue they describe. Ask questions so you understand the full context of the issue. Once you have done that, ask them for their ideas for moving forward. Encourage them to brainstorm.
*Listen With Your Body. Have an open posture, make soft eye contact, nod slowly. Use your active listening skills. Repeat back key phrases. Be comfortable with silence.
Invite Reflection. Toward the end of the meeting, ask “How are you feeling?” And then “What do you see as the next steps?” Make sure they know that you are there to support them.
If you are fully present and a person leaves a meeting with you being fully heard, that is a gift. And you will not be disappointed in having taken the time to do this. Your team will feel more engaged and more empowered to make a Mission Impact.
*Ideas for this blog taken from: Zigarmi, L. & Grizont, S. “When the Best Leadership Skill is Just Being Present,” Harvard Business Review online, May 19, 2025.
