Want your quieter employees to contribute more in meetings?

Start by rethinking your meeting structure.

Ask yourself: 
 ❓ Do I send out an agenda ahead of time?
 ❓ Do participants know what’s expected of them?
 ❓ Do I build in time for people to gather their thoughts before sharing?

Most meetings unintentionally reward speed and extroversion — not thoughtfulness or clarity.

And when meetings have no clear purpose, even your most vocal team members will struggle to contribute meaningfully.

Here are three simple ways to fix that:
✅ Clarify the purpose. At the very top of your agenda, write one sentence: “The purpose of this meeting is…” If you need more than one sentence, your meeting has too many goals.
✅ Map the flow. An agenda isn’t optional. It’s the plan to achieve the meeting’s purpose and it helps your team show up prepared.
✅ Create space. Ask a question, then pause. Literally start a one-minute timer and tell everyone not to speak yet. That moment of silence makes room for deeper thinking and broader voices.

If you want more contribution, design meetings that make it easier to contribute.