In Everything DiSC workshops, which identifies workplace priorities, motivations, and styles for individuals, and we work on how each style relates to one another. One difference that always comes up is this: some personalities are ready to make decisions quickly and clear roadblocks as they come, while other personalities want to process, ask questions, troubleshoot, and then make a decision. This makes structure around meetings critical.

Think about a scenario where you’ve gone to a meeting titled “Review”. You show up and the owner of the meeting rattles off a problem and potential solution, and asks the group to make a decision right then and there, in a 30-minute span.

For some people, that feels very stressful to make a decision in 30 minutes. Were they even given a breath to review on their own and ask questions?

For others, they have enough information and are ready to make a decision. They might get frustrated by those in the room that are hesitating.

I am someone that wants to make a decision in that meeting. I don’t want to waste my time with pros and cons lists, I want to figure it out as we go. But not everyone operates that way.

This is why we need meetings to be managed in a way that provide support for everyone in the room. Here’s a rundown of what you should have in all of your meetings:

• An agenda: attach it to the meeting invite. It should be a collaborative document.
• Share supporting documentation prior to the meeting.
• Track Action Items at the top of the agenda, and review in the last 3-5 minutes of the meeting (for those that work quickly, we might not always be tracking details…).
• Keep time, and start and end on time.

This structure allows for a few things:

1. Predictability. Folks know what to expect and they can come as prepared as they need to be. Keeping time reduces stress as folks move between meetings.
2. Teamwork: You are not alienating those that need more time to process, and you’re not annoying those (myself) that want to make decisions quickly.
3. Quick decisions. You’ve given people the tools to review information before the gathering, so time can be spent on review and consensus.
4. Clarity: You’re ensuring everyone is walking away from the meeting feeling clear on their own actions and expectations of others.

When meetings are designed with structure and intention, they honor different thinking styles instead of forcing everyone to operate the same way. Clear agendas, preparation, and time discipline create an environment where decisions can move forward without leaving anyone behind.