How to Prepare for a Meeting: A Guide for Leaders and Attendees

Let’s say you have a routine team check-in tomorrow afternoon. But when the time comes, someone’s audio doesn’t work, and no one’s sure who’s supposed to lead the discussion. You waste 10 minutes figuring out the tech and talking over each other. 

Meetings like these are frustrating and waste time. With some prep beforehand, you avoid these situations and keep sessions productive. 

Here’s how to prepare for a meeting effectively, whether you’re running one or just attending.

Understanding the importance of meeting preparation

Walking into a meeting unprepared is like showing up to a potluck empty-handed — awkward for you and unhelpful for everyone else. When people aren’t clear on the purpose, the plan, or their part in the conversation, meetings tend to be unproductive. It’s easy for the conversation to veer off track or drag on, and you might end without any clear next steps.

A little pre-meeting preparation goes a long way, even if you’re just attending. It helps you stay engaged and ask better questions. More importantly, it lets you contribute meaningfully so your team gets things done efficiently.

How to prepare for running a meeting 

Whether you’re leading a brainstorming session or presenting project updates, here are seven steps to take when planning a business meeting:

1. Set a clear purpose

Before figuring out scheduling logistics, understand what you hope to accomplish in the meeting you’re running. Be specific — a clear purpose keeps everyone focused and prevents the meeting from drifting into “this could’ve been an email” territory.

Setting a clear purpose also makes the rest of your prep more manageable. When you know the “why,” it’s easier to decide who needs to be there, what should go on the agenda, and how much time you’ll need. Plus, when everyone understands the goal, they’re more likely to show up ready to contribute.

2. Identify and invite attendees 

Don’t wait until the last minute to send invites. Once you know who needs to be there, let them know when and where the meeting will occur as soon as possible. Early notice gives people time to prepare, whether that means reading materials, thinking through questions, or simply blocking off their calendars. 

If certain team members need to take on key roles, like presenting updates or leading a discussion, inform them in advance. Giving them a heads-up shows respect for their time and allows them to arrive fully prepared.

3. Create and share the agenda

A good meeting agenda is like a road map, showing everyone where the meeting is headed and keeping it on track. Make it as detailed as possible — include everything you’ll discuss, even nonessential meeting starters like shoutouts or icebreakers, and assign a time limit to each item. This prevents tangents from derailing the conversation.

Once you’ve created the agenda, send it out as soon as possible. Highlight anything attendees must complete ahead of time and link to any relevant documents or resources. The more information you provide, the more likely everyone will come prepared.

4. Gather questions and ideas from your team

When you send out the agenda, invite the team to share any suggestions for the meeting. They might have questions or ideas that could improve the discussion or fill in gaps you might have missed. If someone brings up a good point, update the agenda or adjust the time allocation to give it proper attention.

Crowdsourcing thoughts and ideas also makes the meeting more collaborative. Some people may be quieter in group settings but contribute great insights if given the chance to share beforehand. By gathering ideas ahead of time, you set the stage for a more dynamic discussion where every voice has a place.

5. Test your tech ahead of time

Nothing kills a meeting’s momentum faster than technical difficulties. From mic malfunctions to screen-sharing hiccups, tech issues waste time and frustrate attendees. Test your tech before the meeting starts. Check your audio and video settings, and confirm that screen sharing works smoothly. If you’re using a new platform, do a trial run to troubleshoot any potential issues. 

Also, double-check that Otter has permission to access your calendar and that the auto-join feature is enabled for your meetings. This ensures Otter can transcribe the discussion as soon as it begins, which allows it to give you detailed notes and action items afterward. But if you forget this step, no worries — you can upload the recording to Otter later and reap the same benefits.

6. Prepare for follow-up action items

Most meetings aim to generate clear next steps, but too often, action items get lost or forgotten altogether. Without a system for capturing and assigning tasks, it’s easy for things to slip through the cracks. This stalls progress and wastes the time everyone just invested in the discussion.

To avoid this, create a plan to track and assign action items during the meeting. Use a shared document or project management tool — or rely on Otter. 

Otter automatically captures action items, consolidates them in one place, and assigns them to the right people. With Otter handling the tracking, you can rest assured that everyone leaves the meeting clear on their responsibilities and deadlines. No more confusion or forgotten tasks — just concrete next steps and follow-through.

7. Design a post-meeting survey

Post-meeting surveys provide valuable insights into what went well and what could improve. Make them part of your meeting prep process so you’re always poised to run a more effective meeting than the last.

Keep the survey short and sweet. Include questions about each of these topics:

• General impressions: How did attendees feel about the meeting overall?
• Meeting effectiveness: Did attendees feel the meeting achieved its goals?
• Employee engagement: Did participants contribute and feel invested in the meeting?
• Communication and clarity: Were discussions and takeaways easy to understand?
• Time management: Was the meeting well paced, or did it run too long?

How to prepare for attending a meeting

It’s just as important to prepare for meetings you’re attending as it is for the ones you’re leading. Here’s how to set yourself up for success:

1. Understand the meeting’s purpose

Before attending, understand why the meeting is happening and what it hopes to accomplish. Whether the goal is to make a decision, solve a problem, or share updates, understanding the purpose equips you to contribute effectively and walk away with the right takeaways.

2. Go over the agenda

Once you receive the meeting agenda, take a few minutes to review it. This gives you a clear idea of what the session will cover, so you can prepare any questions, comments, or updates beforehand. Reviewing the agenda also prevents certain topics from catching you off guard, which helps you stay engaged and contribute more confidently during the discussion.

3. Confirm attendance

Check the meeting invite to ensure you know when and where it’s happening and avoid scheduling conflicts. You don’t want to show up late or miss the meeting altogether. If everything looks good, confirm your attendance. If you need to adjust your schedule or delegate your spot, let the organizer know so they can plan accordingly.

4. Set up Otter 

If you’re using Otter to transcribe the meeting, double-check that it’s set up properly. This way, you don’t have to worry about taking notes and can focus on participating in the discussion.

5. Define your action items

Before the meeting ends, consider any steps you need to take afterward. This helps you stay proactive — jump into your tasks right after the meeting instead of scrambling to figure out what to do next. If you’re unsure which action items to expect, Otter automatically captures them for you, ensuring you don’t miss anything.

Prepare, meet, and follow up with Otter

Otter handles notetaking and assigns action items, so you focus on the discussion and leave the meeting confident that everyone knows the next steps. Plus, you can easily revisit Otter’s detailed notes to prep for any follow-up chats. With its AI-powered tools, you’ll stay organized every step of the way.  

Enhance your meetings with Otter today!