20 English Phrases for Leading a Meeting (That Native Speakers Actually Use)
By Digby R. Kerr · Kerr University™ · · All Articles
The first meeting I ever led, I opened with a phrase from a textbook: “Let us commence with the inaugural item.” A colleague still reminds me about it twenty years later.
Textbook meeting English gets you laughed at gently. Real meeting English gets you followed. Here are the twenty phrases I actually heard — and used — in fifteen years of boardrooms, grouped by the moment you need them.
Opening (Set Authority Early)
1. “Right — let’s get started. We’ve got a lot to cover.”
2. “Before we dive in, the goal for this hour is simple: we leave with a decision on X.”
3. “I’ll keep us to time, so I may move us along now and then.”
Handing the Floor
4. “Maria, walk us through what you’re seeing.”
5. “Before I weigh in — Tomas, you’re closest to this. What’s your read?”
6. “Let’s hear from someone who hasn’t spoken yet.”
Taking the Floor Back (The Hardest Skill)
7. “That’s useful — let me pause you there so we keep to time.”
8. “I want to make sure we land this point before we move on.”
9. “Let’s take that offline — it deserves more than two minutes.”
Disagreeing Without Wounding
10. “I see it differently — here’s why.”
11. “Help me understand the assumption behind that.”
12. “What would have to be true for that to work?”
Driving to a Decision
13. “So what I’m hearing is X. Is anyone not comfortable with that?”
14. “Let’s make the call. Who owns this, and by when?”
15. “Perfect is not on the menu today. Which imperfect option do we pick?”
Closing (This Is Where Leaders Are Remembered)
16. “Let me recap the decisions: one… two… three.”
17. “Actions: Maria has X by Friday, Tomas has Y by the 15th.”
18. “Anything anyone wishes we’d discussed and didn’t?”
19. “Good session. Short follow-up notes from me within the hour.”
20. “Thanks, everyone — back ten minutes early. Spend them well.”
What Is Missing From This List
Notice what is missing: no “inaugural items,” no “as per my previous email,” no Latin. Leadership English is short words delivered with certainty.
Print this list. Then practise saying the ten you would use most — out loud, before your next meeting, until they are yours. Or rehearse them live with me in a free 30-minute class.
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