Ever left a meeting thinking, What did we actually accomplish? Worse, have you ever sat through an hour-long discussion only to realize that no one was responsible for following up?
Sheryl Sandberg, former COO of Meta (Facebook), had a simple but powerful fix: assigning roles in every meeting. This approach ensures that discussions stay on track, decisions are made, and action items don’t get lost.
Here’s how role-based meetings can transform the way you and your team collaborate.
Why Assigning Roles Works
In many meetings, people assume someone else will handle follow-ups, leading to missed deadlines, confusion, and wasted time. Sandberg’s method prevents this by giving each participant a clear responsibility.
✅ More accountability – No more guessing who’s in charge.
✅ Faster decision-making – Defined roles keep discussions focused.
✅ Action-oriented results – Everyone knows what to do next.
Key Roles to Assign in a Meeting
Sandberg emphasized three critical roles to ensure productive meetings:
1. The Decision-Maker
Who has the final say? Too often, decisions stall because no one knows who’s responsible. Appoint a single person to make the call when needed.
How to use it during the meeting:
- Clarify upfront: Who owns this decision?
- If there’s disagreement, the decision-maker has the authority to move forward.
- Reduces endless back-and-forth discussions.
2. The Note-Taker
Meetings generate great ideas—but without documentation, they disappear. The note-taker ensures key points, decisions, and action items are recorded.
How to use it during the meeting:
- Choose someone who listens well and can capture key takeaways concisely.
- Summarize action points before closing the meeting.
- Distribute notes immediately after, so no one forgets their tasks.
3. The Action Owner
Each task must have a specific person responsible for execution. Assigning action owners ensures follow-through.
How to use it during the meeting:
- Instead of saying “We should do this,” ask “Who will take ownership?”
- Give each action item a clear deadline.
- Check in on progress at the next meeting.
Applying This in Your Next Meeting
🚀 Before the meeting: Define roles. Who will take notes? Who is the decision-maker? Who owns which tasks?
🎯 During the meeting: Assign action items in real-time—don’t wait until later.
📌 After the meeting: Share notes and hold action owners accountable.
Better Meetings Start Today
Sandberg’s approach eliminates confusion, prevents wasted time, and ensures real results. Assign roles in your next meeting and see the difference.
Want to Make Every Meeting Count?
For a deeper dive into proven strategies that turn meetings into productive, focused sessions, check out our full guide:
How to Run Meetings That Don’t Waste Time
From Jeff Bezos’ no-PowerPoint rule to Sheryl Sandberg’s role assignment strategy—this article unpacks five high-impact methods that help teams save time and get better results.
Streamline Your Meetings with Our New Meeting Minutes Template
Want to make your meetings even more organized and actionable? Check out our newly added Meeting Minutes Template in our Etsy shop. Designed to help you capture key decisions, assign tasks, and keep teams aligned, this template is the perfect tool to implement Bezos’ productivity principles.
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