Meeting Etiquette · Meetings Expert, Perth
Meeting etiquette is the unwritten set of behaviours that makes meetings work: preparing, arriving on time, speaking up at the right moment, listening and following through. David Julian Price helps teams and new leaders in Perth and across Australia learn the rules nobody writes down, so they’re taken seriously in any meeting.
Nobody hands you a guide on your first day that says “here’s how to behave in meetings”. You’re just expected to know. And when you don’t, everyone in the room notices.
“The meeting room is one of the most public stages in professional life. Every time you walk in, your leadership credibility is on show.”
Why it matters
It isn’t budget constraints. It isn’t even difficult people. Most meeting pain comes down to etiquette, and the habits that quietly erode trust.
These aren’t minor irritations. They send one loud message: I’m not really here for this.
Before, during and after
Before
As you arrive
In the room
The Speak Once Rule
I’ve championed this for decades and it still surprises people. The reason is simple: fairness drives focus. When one or two voices dominate, you lose the wisdom in the room. The Speak Once Rule is etiquette with a governance backbone. It keeps meetings fair, focused and moving forward.
The chair sets the rhythm
The drummer starts first and everyone takes their cue from the beat. If the chair is uncertain, distracted or inconsistent, the whole meeting loses its rhythm.
Start on time, regardless of who hasn’t arrived. It sends a message.
Finish on time. Running over isn’t a sign of a productive meeting. It’s a sign of poor discipline.
Shut down side conversations. Politely, but firmly.
Don’t rehash old decisions. As John F. Kennedy put it, the task is to fix the course for the future, not the blame for the past.
The small things
When it comes to meeting etiquette, the smallest things shape how people see you. Whether you’re the chair or a participant, these are worth mastering.
The simple standard
Meetings are about people. When people feel heard, respected and fairly treated, they engage, contribute and commit to decisions. That’s not just good etiquette. It’s what makes meetings work.
Free to use
Working together to make every meeting run like a well-oiled machine. Copy these, adapt them and share them with your team.
What clients say
“I think David knows more about governance than the Speaker in Federal Parliament, but he’s not the slightest bit boring or pompous about it. He has a clever knack for making meeting procedures engaging and simple.”
“Excellent. It showed and provided me an insight into meetings that are both logical and common sense but are often either overlooked or ignored or not even considered.”
“Informative, revolutionary, breaking new ground and manageable to do.”
“Excellent, very informative. Offers potential for great future time saving, and potential for better conduct of meetings in the future.”
“Excellent course. David never lost my interest throughout the course. It was very interesting and informative.”
“David Price was an informative and also very entertaining presenter. A very refreshing change.”
“Extremely beneficial. I’ll definitely use the tools provided. It will make a mundane task far more enjoyable.”
Prefer to watch?
Short, practical videos on running better meetings. Free on YouTube.
Questions
It’s the unwritten code of behaviour that makes meetings work: being prepared, arriving on time, putting your phone away, listening without interrupting and respecting everyone’s time. Most people are never taught it, but everyone notices when it’s missing.
Nobody gets a second turn to speak until everyone who wants to has spoken once. It stops one or two voices dominating, so the meeting hears the wisdom of the whole room.
No. It’s the ice-breaker. You get to know each other while the stakes are low, which builds the common ground you need when discussions get harder.
A public commitment that poor behaviour won’t be tolerated in meetings. Leaders model it, and inappropriate behaviour gets called out. It only works if everyone is on board and it’s followed through.
Yes. Start on time regardless of who hasn’t arrived, and don’t repeat items for late arrivals. Starting and finishing on time is one of the clearest signals of respect a chair can send.
Better meetings start here
I’ve spent 40+ years helping organisations run better meetings. I’m a Certified Speaking Professional, a Global Speaking Fellow and the author of four books on meeting procedure. Let’s talk about yours.