The Essentials of Meeting Preparation – Why Good Meetings Start Before They Begin

Meetings have a bad reputation.
“Too long, too many, too unclear” – this is the conclusion many participants reach after half a day full of online appointments.
But: Meetings are not the problem. Poor preparation is.

Because successful meetings do not happen spontaneously in the virtual space, but through a clear plan beforehand.

Here is our pragmatic guide to meeting preparation – for everyone who wants to turn a “Can be skipped” meeting into a “Worth it” experience with 15 minutes of good preparation.

1. Technology: The Foundation Nobody Wants to Talk About

Sounds trivial? But it is essential, especially online.
Because if you spend the first fifteen minutes struggling with your camera, audio, or screen sharing, you have already lost.

Checklist:

• Are camera and microphone working?
• Is the internet connection stable – even with multiple devices in the house?
• Virtual background prepared (if necessary)?
• Lighting: Am I well lit, no reflections on my face?
• Distractions eliminated (Slack, WhatsApp, push notifications)?
• Desktop cleaned up, private tabs closed?

Tip: Do a quick tech check regularly with a colleague or test device. Especially for client meetings or hybrid setups, this is a must-have.

2. Agenda: Clear Structure Instead of Coffee Klatch

Meetings without an agenda are like trips without GPS.
You arrive somewhere – but whether it is the right destination is a matter of luck.

Good agendas answer three questions:

1. What are the specific items?
2. How much time do we plan per item?
3. What is the goal of the meeting – information, decision, brainstorming?

Bonus tip: Do not send the agenda as an Excel attachment, but directly in the calendar invitation or email text. That way it will be read.

3. Goal Clarity: What Is This Actually About?

The most common silent question in meetings:
“Why am I even here?”
And right after that: “What is supposed to happen here?”

Communicate in advance:

• What is the goal of the meeting?
• Who takes on which role? (Moderator, minutes, technical support…)
• What should be the outcome? (Decision, next steps, feedback…)

The clearer the goal, the more focused the process – and the easier the follow-up.

4. Participants & Timing: Less Is More

Meetings with too many people are like shared apartment kitchens after parties:
Loud, chaotic, many opinions – but nobody feels responsible.

Ask yourself when sending invitations:

• Who do I really need to achieve the goal?
• Who needs to be informed – but does not necessarily need to be there live?
• Which roles are critical for success?

5. Materials, Tools & Interaction: Do Not Wait Until the Meeting to Figure It Out

Many meetings fail not because of content, but because nobody knows where the content is, how it will be presented, or who prepared it.

Before the appointment:

• Presentation or Teams board ready?
• Access rights distributed?
• Required tools (e.g. Mentimeter, polling tools) set up?
• Interaction phases planned? (e.g., check-in, polls, breakout rooms)

6. Communication in Advance: Small Message, Big Impact

Many meetings start blindly because nobody knows what to expect. Yet often a few well-formulated lines in advance are enough to create clarity and orientation.

Advance communication:

• “Here is the agenda for our meeting.”
• “Please review the following materials beforehand.”
• “We will start with a quick round of updates – please bring an example.”

This not only increases attention – but also accountability.

7. And Afterward? Follow-Up Is Half the Impact

Really good meetings are not recognized by applause, but by what happens afterward. And whether it happens at all.

Follow-up checklist:

• Who writes the minutes/documentation?
• How are results recorded (e.g., photo, Miro export, OneNote)?
• Who sends the follow-up email?
• What are the next steps – and who takes them on?

Our guiding principle: No meeting without a clear “What now?”.

Conclusion: Preparation Is the New Meeting

You can have the best concept, the most engaging content, or the brightest minds in the room – without preparation, it remains a nice exchange with too much ambiguity.
The truth is: Good meetings do not start with “Hello everyone”, but with a clear plan an hour (or a day, or a week) beforehand.