Make every meeting count

Never walk out of a meeting without this

Meetings that drag on, diluted decisions, and tasks no one remembers. Sound familiar? If so, the problem likely isn’t the meeting itself, but what happens afterward: the lack of a clear, shared summary. Without that, even the best ideas get lost in the day-to-day noise. Decisions are forgotten, tasks get duplicated, and conflicts arise because no one remembers exactly what was said.

If you can prevent this from happening, you’ll create a real impact—trust me. You won’t just be giving your team the most scarce and valuable resource: time. You’ll be leading through clarity, transparency, and decisive action. You’ll be helping dozens—maybe even hundreds—of people work in a more fluid, aligned, and fulfilling way. Isn’t that amazing?

You’ll help build trust because people feel there’s order and direction. You’ll foster action, because everyone knows exactly what to do. And you’ll boost a culture of collaboration, because information is clear and shared.

The book The Pyramid Principle explains this brilliantly. To turn meetings into a true source of alignment and action, you only need to master the art of summarizing. And doing it well isn’t about writing fast—it’s about thinking clearly.

How can you apply this in your daily work? Very simply:

• If you're speaking to contribute, start with the conclusion. No detours, no unnecessary suspense. “Here’s what I’m proposing… and here’s why.”

• If you're speaking to synthesize, remember:

  • Takeaways: What was discussed that’s worth remembering?

  • Decisions: What was agreed on and why?

  • Actions: Who’s doing what, and by when?

That simple. That powerful. Because summarizing is an act of leadership. When you document ideas and actions, you contribute to a culture of execution, clarity, and higher satisfaction for your team and yourself.