Running Inclusive Team Meetings
Practical guidance for meetings that work for everyone, including neurodivergent team members
Before the Meeting
Send agenda 24-48 hours in advance
Give team members time to prepare and process information. Include discussion topics, decisions to be made, and any pre-reading.
Clarify meeting purpose and outcomes
Be explicit about whether it's for brainstorming, decision-making, updates, or discussion. State expected outcomes.
Share any materials in advance
Send presentations, documents, or data that will be discussed so people can review beforehand.
Consider timing and breaks
Schedule meetings at times that work for different energy patterns. For longer meetings, plan breaks every 45-60 minutes.
During the Meeting
Start with a clear structure
Review the agenda at the start, state meeting duration, and outline how decisions will be made.
Use multiple ways to contribute
Allow verbal input, chat messages, raised hands, and post-meeting comments. Not everyone processes in real-time.
Manage speaking time equitably
Watch for dominant voices and actively invite quieter team members. Use round-robin or timed contributions.
Clarify and confirm understanding
Summarize key points and decisions verbally and in writing. Check for questions before moving on.
Respect sensory needs
Keep video optional, allow camera-off participation, minimize background noise, and be mindful of lighting.
Document decisions live
Use shared notes or a whiteboard to capture decisions, action items, and key discussion points in real-time.
After the Meeting
Send meeting notes within 24 hours
Include decisions made, action items with owners, key discussion points, and next steps.
Allow for follow-up contributions
Create space for people to add thoughts or questions they didn't share during the meeting.
Review action items clearly
Ensure everyone knows what they're responsible for, with clear deadlines and success criteria.
Common Challenges & Solutions
- Ask them directly but gently: 'Sarah, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this'
- Offer alternative input methods (email, chat, 1:1)
- Send questions in advance so they can prepare
- Create smaller breakout discussions
- Check meeting frequency—could some be emails?
- Reduce meeting length or add breaks
- Vary formats: not everything needs video
- Ask for feedback on what's working and what isn't
- Assign a timekeeper or facilitator
- Park off-topic items in a 'parking lot' for later
- Set clear time limits for each agenda item
- Practice redirecting: 'That's important—let's schedule time to explore it separately'
- Use structured turn-taking or round-robin
- Ask for input by name
- Monitor chat and verbal contributions
- Acknowledge contributions: 'Great point, thanks for raising that'
Remember: Small Changes, Big Impact
You don't need to implement everything at once. Start with 1-2 practices and build from there.