How to run a meeting Prepare, prepare and prepare some more. Not only does a good manager write a detailed agenda for a meeting in advance but he also talks with the participants to make them aware of the important points and also looks at where the meeting will be held, checking up on details like the room temperature and whether there might be a light bulb that goes on and off. When ordering soft drinks, a good manager even checks on individual tastes. "If someone likes Tab, order Tab. Such small things can help participants feel welcome and eager to attend. It is always good to set down what you could call codes of meeting conduct, at the first meeting, particularly when a group will be holding a series of meetings. How should the group react, for instance, when participants come in late? What if some participants haven't prepared ahead of time? What about people who try to take over the meeting and try to guide the agenda in their own direction? This can be a problem when this person is a senior manager and the meeting leader is a junior person.