Be enthusiastic. It’s contagious. If you seem excited about accomplishing your goals, others will be too. Conversely, if you take a lackluster approach, others will follow suit.

Use body language that shows you know what you’re doing. Sit tall. Look at people directly.

Speak with authority. If you are prepared and know your stuff, you’ve got it made.

Don’t pontificate. Keep the meeting moving with questions, discussions, probes. Keep it on track.

Avoid the seven deadly sins of meeting leaders: resenting questions, monopolizing the meeting, playing comic, chastising someone in public, permitting interruptions, losing control, coming unprepared.

Orchestrate and pace the meeting with an agenda. Call on upbeat people, avoid lulls, keep participants focused on the goal, invite all to give input.

Don’t send a full agenda, just a brief version in the meeting invitation. Participants without an agenda in hand tend to listen more and to focus on the content and the leader. You avoid the, “Oh no, look how much we still have to plow through,” feeling and heighten interest.

Be diplomatic and considerate. Listen.

Use humor (not jokes) that comes naturally from the exchange.

Praise people. Thank them for coming. Let them know you appreciate that they care about the issue.