How New Managers Can Participate Effectively in Meetings

Team meetings can either be a springboard for progress or a drain on productivity. For first-time managers, learning how to participate in meetings effectively is a critical leadership skill. When meetings are well-facilitated, inclusive, and outcome-driven, they become powerful tools to align team members, spark innovation, and move projects forward.

If you’re a new manager looking to strengthen your executive presence and build team cohesion, this guide is for you. Below, we cover essential strategies to help you communicate with clarity, guide structured brainstorming, and establish a psychologically safe environment. Plus, we’ve included real-world applications, facilitation tips, and meeting structure strategies designed for both in-person and virtual meeting scenarios.

Understand the Meeting Structure and Agenda

A strong meeting structure starts with a clear and official agenda. Before the meeting begins, review the agenda items and understand how they connect to your team’s objectives.

• Always confirm your role in the meeting (participant, speaker, or meeting chair).
• Ask for the official agenda ahead of time and add your input if needed.
• Keep track of next steps discussed and ensure they’re documented clearly.

Well-defined agendas help reduce meeting dysfunction and keep discussions goal-oriented.

Use Active Listening and Note-Taking to Drive Clarity

To participate meaningfully, active listening is essential. Avoid distractions, give your full attention to speakers, and take detailed notes.

• Capture key points, decisions, and follow-ups.
• Use collaborative documents or tools during virtual meetings to document shared understanding.
• Focus your notes around meeting outcomes and action items—this will reinforce clarity for everyone.

If you’re not the one leading, good notes can still shape the next phase of the project by identifying gaps and ensuring accountability.

Lead and Participate in Structured Brainstorming

During brainstorming sessions, managers should balance creativity with structure. Facilitate moments of individual thinking before group sharing to reduce bias and encourage diverse input.

• Use methods like anonymous submission tools or culture index surveys to collect unbiased ideas.
• Organize ideas into clusters and themes before opening them up to discussion.
• Try breakout groups for deeper dives during large virtual meetings.

This encourages an inclusive team culture, reduces the diffusion of responsibility, and amplifies voices that may otherwise stay quiet.

Build Psychological Safety and Team Engagement

Creating psychological safety means allowing team members to speak up without fear of ridicule or retaliation. It’s essential for idea sharing, risk-taking, and problem-solving.

• Acknowledge contributions, even when ideas aren’t used.
• Set clear expectations for participation.
• Be mindful of cultural differences that may influence how team members communicate.

Your tone and non-verbal cues can either elevate or undermine the room’s trust, especially in diverse or cross-functional Team Meetings.

Strengthen Your Facilitation Skills

Even if you’re not the designated meeting facilitator, adopting facilitation skills improves communication flow, time management, and inclusivity.

• Summarize key takeaways before moving on to new topics.
• Ask open-ended questions to stimulate engagement.
• Gently moderate conflict when needed, staying neutral and focused on outcomes.

Facilitators play a key role in managing power dynamics and ensuring everyone has a seat at the table, whether physically or virtually.

Navigate Conflict and Power Dynamics Constructively

Meetings often become a microcosm of broader power dynamics within the organization. As a manager, it’s important to be able to moderate conflict and facilitate conflict resolution when necessary.

• Identify the underlying causes of tension (miscommunication, unclear roles, etc.).
• Frame conflict as a shared problem to solve together.
• De-personalize disagreements and re-focus on data or business goals, like marketing strategies or project deliverables.

Managers who model calm and constructive behavior reinforce team cohesion and reduce emotional friction.

Embrace Continuous Improvement

Meeting effectiveness isn’t set-and-forget. Solicit feedback on what worked and what didn’t:

• Send brief post-meeting surveys using tools like culture index surveys.
• Rotate the role of meeting chair to build team leadership.
• Track whether meetings are consistently generating actionable meeting outcomes.

The goal is to ensure every meeting supports your team’s momentum and reinforces shared accountability.

Conclusion

Participating in meetings effectively isn’t just about speaking up—it’s about creating structure, clarity, and connection. As a new manager, your ability to foster collaboration, model effective communication, and reinforce your team’s objectives will directly influence the success of your meetings.

By applying these strategies, you’ll create more valuable discussions, reduce meeting dysfunction, and boost your team’s long-term engagement.

Want to elevate your meeting facilitation skills?

Join Voltage Control’s Certification Program to become a confident, impactful meeting leader.

FAQs

• How can new managers participate in meetings with confidence?

By understanding the meeting structure, preparing ahead, and using active listening and note-taking strategies, new managers can contribute effectively and align with the team’s objectives.

• Why is taking notes during meetings important?

Taking notes helps reinforce memory, clarify next steps, track accountability, and align with key meeting outcomes. It also supports team members who may not be present.

• What’s the best way to encourage participation in virtual meetings?

Use tools like anonymous submission, breakout groups, and structured agendas. Build psychological safety by actively inviting input and recognizing contributions.

• How do you handle dominant voices or power dynamics in meetings?

A skilled meeting facilitator or manager uses facilitation skills to balance voices, re-center discussions on the official agenda, and keep focus on the team’s objectives, not individuals’ egos.

• What are the signs of meeting dysfunction to watch out for?

Red flags include unclear objectives, repeated topics with no resolution, lack of follow-up on action items, and limited engagement. These issues can often be corrected with better meeting structure and facilitation.

• What is structured brainstorming, and why does it matter?

Structured brainstorming ensures everyone has time for individual thinking before group sharing. This increases idea diversity, reduces groupthink, and fosters an inclusive team culture.

• How does meeting facilitation support team cohesion?

Good meeting facilitators ensure equal participation, resolve conflicts, and align conversations with the team’s purpose, helping to build stronger relationships and more cohesive teams.

• What role do culture index surveys play in meetings?

They help assess individual engagement, communication styles, and overall meeting effectiveness, offering insights that can improve future meeting facilitation and team dynamics.