Published October 24, 2013
At our digital marketing agency, we know it’s hard to focus during those meetings that seem to drag on or ones that we don’t have much interest in. If you’ve hosted a meeting and noticed blank stares or heads nodding off, try a little something different:
Who doesn’t like free snacks? Spice up your meetings by providing a different small snack each time. Not only will people look forward to the meeting, they’ll feel more relaxed and comfortable.
Before the meeting, have each member prepare a little something to get them involved. If your meeting is about a new project, have everyone come up with a title for the project. Or, if it’s about quarterly standings, have everyone theorize why the company is doing well or not doing well.
Liven things up with a weekly “quiz” that asks questions like: “On what road is our Dallas branch?” or “What was Dan’s column about last week?” Reward the winner with food or office supplies.
If you’re planning a large meeting, see if you can incorporate an activity that breaks everyone up into small groups. Your members will be more inclined to participate and will be a little more relaxed.
No one likes to stare at one person while they’re lecturing (possibly for a long period of time), so incorporate visual elements into your presentation. Try photos, a Power Point, graphs, or physical products.
Transform the environment simply by removing the conference table. A little change of pace will make meeting members more alert.
After the meeting is over, have each person ask a question relevant to what was covered before they leave. You’ll not only find out if they were paying attention, you’ll be able to clear up anything you may not have addressed.
Having the same person speak at a meeting over and over can get boring, so invite a guest speaker to take over once in awhile.
At a company that dresses “business casual,” you won’t find many members who think their dress shoes are comfortable. Shake things up a little (and give their feet a break) by giving everyone the option to take their shoes off and relax before the meeting starts.
Have you ever been to a business meeting that was (nearly) fun?
