How to Design a Meaningful Meeting with Monica Pauls

We recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Monica Pauls for a deeply practical conversation about designing and facilitating high-impact meetings. Monica is the Chair of the Department of Child Studies and Social Work and an Associate Professor at Mount Royal University. In this episode, she joins us (along with Nic Etheridge Calder) in real-time to workshop an upcoming full-day team meeting, exploring the very real challenges leaders face when trying to create meetings that are engaging, productive, and genuinely meaningful. Together, we dig into; 👉 Why so many team meetings feel overloaded, unfocused, or performative 👉 How unclear purpose creates confusion, disengagement, and “meetings after the meeting.” 👉 The hidden role power dynamics play in participation, decision-making, and silence 👉 How leaders can design meetings that create both efficiency and authentic engagement 👉 The importance of balancing process, pace, and presence in group facilitation 👉 Practical strategies for increasing participation without forcing consensus 👉 Why designing for human connection is just as important as designing for outcomes 👉 How small, intentional shifts can dramatically improve team meetings over time This conversation is an honest behind-the-scenes look at the complexity of leading collaborative spaces - especially in environments where relationships are strong, but underlying tensions or disengagement may still exist beneath the surface. If you lead teams, facilitate meetings, or are trying to create spaces where people feel genuinely included, heard, and invested, this episode offers practical tools, thoughtful reflection, and a powerful reminder that great meetings rarely happen by accident. Learn more about The Co. → a leadership development opportunity for impact-conscious and power-curious leaders.