The common failure of "pre-read" meetings is that attendees don't do the reading. Atlassian, like Amazon, solves this by starting decision-making meetings with a dedicated, silent period where everyone reads the context document together. This guarantees shared context and makes the subsequent discussion far more effective.

A critical rule for the "hot seat" format is that after presenting their problem, the subject must remain silent. This prevents them from becoming defensive or steering the conversation. It forces them to simply listen and absorb diverse, unfiltered ideas from the group, which is where real breakthroughs happen.

To transform team dynamics, leaders should intentionally ask questions that invite challenges and alternative viewpoints. Simple prompts like 'What might we be missing here?' or 'Does anyone have a different point of view?' create psychological safety and signal that all contributions are valued.

To avoid influencing their team's feedback, leaders should adopt the practice of being the last person to share their opinion. This creates a psychologically safe environment where ideas are judged on merit, not on alignment with the leader's preconceived notions, often making the best decision obvious.

Jensen Huang uses the whiteboard as the primary meeting tool to compel employees to demonstrate their thought process in real-time. This practice eliminates hiding behind prepared materials and fosters rigorous, transparent thinking, revealing immediately when someone hasn't thought something through.

In group settings, people subconsciously assign you a "contribution score" based on the quality and relevance of your past input. Speaking too often with low-value comments lowers your score, causing others to discount your future ideas. Speaking rarely but with high insight increases it, commanding attention.

To prevent the first or most senior person from anchoring a conversation, collect everyone's independent analysis in writing first. Only after this information is aggregated should the group discussion begin. This method ensures a wider range of ideas is considered and prevents premature consensus.

To encourage participation from everyone, leaders should focus on the 'why' behind an idea (intention) and ask curious questions rather than judging the final output. This levels the playing field by rewarding effort and thoughtfulness over innate talent, making it safe for people to share imperfect ideas.

A key leadership trait of GM CEO Mary Barra is her practice of making herself "not the center of attention" in meetings. This intentional act brings out more voices and creates a more collaborative, less hierarchical environment where a wider range of ideas can be shared.