Struggling with Meeting Engagement? Use PODS

We were in the middle of a high-pressure project. One that everyone across the business was watching closely, and where we were getting bogged down in meetings that were not landing. Meeting engagement needed a serious boost. It was fast, demanding, and full of moving parts. That project remains one of my favourites to this day.

I was working with the brilliant Ben Garvan at the time. In a space where every moment mattered, Ben introduced something that shifted how I approached meetings forever.

It was not a new platform.
It was not a cutting-edge process.
It was just four words.

PODS – A clear and practical structure for any meeting invite:

P – Purpose
O – Outcomes
D – Decisions
S – Structure

This tiny shift in approach had a huge effect on improving our meeting engagement. It set the tone before anyone even entered the room.

What Changed for Me

Adding PODS to my meeting invites did something unexpected.
It forced clarity.

I found myself questioning whether a meeting was even necessary.
Could I achieve the same thing with a short chat or a focused 1:1?
Did I need all eight people on that invite, or just two of them?

The act of writing out the Purpose, Outcomes, Decisions, and Structure made me sharper.
More deliberate.
It set expectations. It helped others arrive prepared.
The right people, the right reasons, and the right focus.

It also gave everyone attending a clearer sense of purpose. They came in knowing what was expected and left feeling that their time had been respected.

It stopped those dreaded, unproductive meetings where nobody quite knew why they were there.
That is what meeting engagement should feel like.

A Quick Example

Here is how one team used PODS to decide which social media platform would best connect with their ideal audience. The goal was to avoid a meandering discussion and reach a useful decision by the end.

Meeting Invite: Choosing the Right Social Media Platform for Our Audience

P – Purpose
To explore and determine which social platform best fits our customer base and content strategy.

O – Outcomes

Alignment on audience preferences and behaviours
Comparison of key platforms (LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Threads)
Clear decision on which platform(s) to use

D – Decisions

Primary and secondary platforms to prioritise
Team member ownership for setup and content planning

S – Structure

Review of audience personas (10 minutes)
Presentation of platform data and trends (20 minutes)
Discussion and Q&A (10 minutes)
Final decision and task allocation (5 minutes)

Clean, purposeful, and focused. That is what a meeting looks like when engagement is baked in from the start.

The Real Impact

Here is what changed once PODS became a habit for the team:

🟢 Meeting titles finally matched their purpose

🟢 Outcomes were owned and aligned

🟢Time was saved and we could prove it financially

🟢Fewer meetings, better attendees

🟢 No more silent eye-rolls asking “Why am I even here?”

🟢 Clear expectations meant less frustration

🟢 People showed up engaged and ready to contribute

🟢 The overall mood improved. People appreciated knowing what they were stepping into

A small shift that delivered significant returns.

In a Nutshell

Once we embedded PODS as a team habit, the results spoke for themselves.

Invites became sharper. Titles aligned with real intent.
People arrived informed and ready to contribute.
Time was saved.

In fact, we calculated the cost and were stunned by how much unnecessary meetings were costing us.

There were fewer sessions overall, but they were better attended. People stopped asking, “Why am I even here?” because the reason was always clear.

Meeting engagement went up, and frustration went down.

Humans are happier when their time is valued and their input matters.

Try It for Yourself

Want leaner, more focused meetings? Add PODS to your next invite. Even better, introduce it as a shared habit for your whole team.

It saves time. Reduces confusion. Cuts down on unnecessary call and, yes, it saves money. We did the maths.

It all starts with one line in your calendar. This is the biggest tip for increasing meeting engagement that has worked so do give PODS a try.

If you are reading this in a meeting right now, that probably says enough.

PODS is still something I take with me into every new team and organisation. It is practical, simple, and surprisingly powerful. I have helped teams measure the impact in hours saved, costs reduced, and energy restored.

Have you tried anything like PODS before?
If not, give it a go this week.

Do share this with someone who needs a little help with their calendar clutter.

If you’d like to learn more about making your meetings more engaging and improving your facilitation skills please get in touch for a free consultation call