Meeting Etiquette Adherence to the proper etiquette for a business meeting establishes respect among meeting participants, helps the meeting begin and end on time, and fosters an atmosphere of cooperation. A lack of etiquette and poor planning are two of the main reasons why many business meetings fail, according to business expert Lyndsay Swinton. Teach your employees business meeting etiquette to ensure that your business's meetings are effective. Arrival Arrive to the location of the business meeting at least 15 minutes early. This allows you to find a seat and get situated before the meeting starts. Agenda The chairperson of the meeting should circulate a meeting agenda to each participant at least one week in advance. Participants should call the chairperson to express any concerns about the agenda at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. The chairperson and concerned participant will then have time to determine if changes need to be made. The agenda shoul