There’s something beautiful about a well run meeting – just how it flows.

You build that rapport up with someone over time. You know what they are going to say, how they are going to say it, when they are going to say it. You know how they are going to move a meeting so that it flows well and moves the participants.

It really came home to me when we added a new team member to a meeting. It really threw everything out – just that third person.

I think there’s two main things you can do:

1. Prepare. Be aware of your roles and responsibilities.
2. Give it time. You can expect that it’s going to be able to flow in the same amount of time. You need to give yourself time. Particularly in the meeting closeout – it’s probably the crucial aspect. How everyone leaves, how everyone feels when they leave.

So give yourself more time to close that meeting so you can still have a great meeting while you build up that rapport in the future.