Make your meetings discussion-based

People sometimes default to ­presentation-style meetings, but that’s not always the best way to get your ideas across to your audience.

If you want to share an idea that has already been fully formed or want to persuade your audience, the presentation method is the best way to go, writes Nancy Duarte, author of the “HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations.” If you need multiple viewpoints or collaboration to fully form your concept, a discussion-based meeting is the best method. Take visual notes on flip charts so everyone sees the group’s progress. This also gives participants a physical reminder of the discussion and helps you remember where to pick up at the next meeting.

— Adapted from “Meetings: When to Present and When to Converse,” Nancy Duarte, Harvard Business School Publishing.