When Meetings Look Collaborative but Don’t Feel That Way

The situation

Your multidisciplinary meetings look fine on paper — the right people are in the room, the agenda is full — but something feels off.

A few voices dominate.
Others stay quiet.
Decisions get made, but not necessarily better ones.

You leave wondering why collaboration feels harder than it should.

What’s really happening

Most multidisciplinary meetings are quietly shaped by power dynamics, not intention.

Hierarchy, role, status, and past norms influence:

• who speaks first,

• who gets interrupted,

• whose ideas get traction,

• and who decides it’s safer to stay quiet.
  

This isn’t about bad actors or lack of commitment.
It’s about invisible structures doing what they’ve always done — unless someone redesigns the space.

Without intention, meetings default to reinforcing old patterns instead of surfacing the best thinking in the room.

What helps

Real collaboration doesn’t happen by accident — it happens by design.

A few practical shifts can change the entire dynamic:

• Watch the room

  Notice who speaks, who doesn’t, and whose ideas move forward.

  You might ask yourself: “Who’s talking? Who’s staying silent? Whose ideas are getting acted on?”

  That’s your real power map.

• Name the intention

  Be explicit that you want every voice in the room.

  You might say: “I’ve been thinking about our meeting and I want to make sure we’re creating space for every voice — because the best ideas can come from anywhere.”

• Equalize airtime

  Invite quieter voices in and gently redirect dominant ones.

  You might say: “Thanks for sharing. I’d love to hear what Jasmine thinks too — what’s your take?”

• Use structure

  Give everyone an easy entry point into the conversation.

  You might ask: “What’s one insider concern you’re bringing into the room today?” or “What’s a bright spot you’ve seen this week?”

• Model curiosity

  Your behavior sets the tone.

  You might focus on: “Ask open-ended questions and listen more than you speak.”

Listen to the podcast episode

🎧 Is Your Multidisciplinary Meeting a Power Play in Disguise? (Ep. 16)