Meeting Etiquette

Even if you dread them, meetings put you in front of coworkers and bosses who you may not work with on a regular basis. That means how you conduct yourself in them may leave a lasting impression.

Is it acceptable to eat during a meeting, or check your phone? Should you be the person asking questions at the end? If broken, the unwritten rules of meeting professionalism may damage your reputation.

1. Be on time.

Make sure you come on time and prepare for the meeting ahead of time, says Pachter. You don’t want to waste anyone else’s time by not being punctual.

“Leaders need to start on time so people can depend on that,” she tells us.

2. Make introductions.

If everyone doesn’t know one another in the meeting room, you need to make introductions. You should do this by starting with the person of the highest rank first, says Pachter.

For example, “Ms. Greater Importance, I would like you to meet Mr. Lesser Importance.”

3. Have a strong agenda.

This is part of being prepared, but you should have a good, strong agenda so that you can stay on track. If you do get off track, you should have a strong facilitator to get you back on track, says Pachter.

4. Sit appropriately.

If it’s a sit-down meeting, you need to adjust your chair so that you’re at equal height with everyone else at the table. “Some people don’t adjust their chairs, so they end up being the little kid in the meeting,” says Pachter.

5. Speak up.

When people speak in meetings they need to speak loudly enough so that everyone hears what they’re saying. “Many men and women, especially women, do not speak loudly enough. And speaking softly is a subtle nonverbal action that can affect your professionalism,” says Pachter.

6. Understand the unwritten speaking rules.

It’s not polite to interrupt others, but in some meetings, you have to interrupt at some point or you won’t be heard. Understand the rules so that you can have a productive meeting.