New Strategies to Supercharge Corporate Meetings

Innovative techniques from diverse fields can make board and committee meetings more productive and effective.

Published on Feb. 8, 2026

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Informed by AI and emerging best practices, the article explores new ways to lead more powerful and productive meetings at all levels, from corporate boards to task-oriented committees. It highlights strategies like institutionalizing dissent through a "Devil's Advocate" role, building trust via Chatham House Rules, starting meetings with focused reading, and leveraging tools like shadow boards and after-action reviews to improve decision-making and avoid "meeting amnesia."

Why it matters

As organizations face increasing complexity, global risks, and stakeholder pressure, effective meetings and decision-making have never been more critical. The article showcases innovative techniques borrowed from diverse fields that can help corporate boards, leadership teams, and other groups overcome common dysfunctions and drive forward momentum.

The details

The article outlines several strategies to improve corporate meetings: 1) Appointing a "Devil's Advocate" to institutionalize dissent and challenge assumptions; 2) Adopting "Chatham House Rules" to encourage open and honest discussion; 3) Starting meetings with focused reading to create a level playing field; 4) Employing techniques like "listening, reframing, and giving credit" to ensure all voices are heard; 5) Leveraging "shadow boards" and "digital twins" to predict group dynamics; 6) Conducting "after-action reviews" to honestly assess what worked and what didn't; and 7) Combating "meeting amnesia" through better note-taking and action item tracking.

  • The concept of the 'Devil's Advocate' originated in the 1500s in the Catholic Church.
  • Chatham House Rule was created in 1927 at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London.

The players

Davia Temin

The author of the article and an expert on corporate governance and leadership.

Jeff Bezos

The founder of Amazon, who banned PowerPoint presentations and introduced silent reading to start meetings.

Patricia Stensrud

A highly effective corporate director known for her disciplined note-taking and ability to keep boards on track.

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What they’re saying

“Disciplined note taking is not only the equivalent of a compass which keeps the team on track, note taking is also an accelerant for building momentum and motivation for achieving success.”

— Patricia Stensrud

“Each group member will start by reading a 6-page, 'narratively-structured' memo that will introduce the topics and create a level playing field for the discussions to begin. 'Kind of like a study hall,' this method 'totally revolutionizes the way we do meetings at Amazon,'”

— Jeff Bezos

What’s next

The article suggests that as AI and other digital tools advance, we may see the rise of "shadow boards" or "digital twins" that can help predict group dynamics and reactions, which could be particularly useful in times of organizational crisis.

The takeaway

By embracing innovative meeting strategies from diverse fields, corporate boards and leadership teams can overcome common dysfunctions, drive forward momentum, and make more effective decisions in an increasingly complex business environment.