Believe it or not, short meetings are inclusive meetings.
People who are unnerved by meetings will be less inclined to speak if a meeting goes on for too long or overtime. Providing certainty as to what topics will be discussed and when is more likely to keep people engaged and comfortable in the meeting space.
In the case of introverts, activities or events that go overtime can lead to overstimulation (sometimes called an introvert hangover); an introvert’s reflex is to shut down in an attempt to reduce the stimuli. They may appear to go quiet, switch off, or even walk away.
When it comes to the latter stages of a long meeting, introverts may seem distracted and start to appear restless; this is a protective mechanism kicking in that’s trying to protect them from that overstimulation.
With this in mind, rather than holding a single lengthy meeting, break it down into shorter ones. If a long meeting is absolutely unavoidable, allow people to ask for a break if they feel their minds wandering or exempt themselves if the topic being discussed doesn’t apply to them. This is an effective meeting facilitation technique regardless of personality type.
The simple act of setting a timer on a meeting signals the length of the meeting to the team.