Remember how video killed the radio star? It wasn’t quite true but the idea gave us all pause to consider what innovations caused the replacement or reinvention of previously accepted ways of doing things. However, somehow in the world of company meetings and events, few major disruptions have occurred to “kill the radio star” in standard meetings.
This probably isn’t a surprise to you if you’ve spent any time behind the walls of most companies. A boring meeting or event is pretty much par for the course in typical situations. But does it have to be this way? We think not–and today we’re asking “Can The Good Meeting Ideas Please Stand Up?” (And save us all!)
What Is A Good Meeting?
Specific meeting goals will vary from meeting to meeting but when you boil it all down, your most basic goal for your meeting will likely be to bring people together to create something to move the company forward or drive progress in some way. Therefore, a good meeting is one that does its best to facilitate the flow of ideas and productivity to support these efforts. (Translation: If attendees are bored or fighting the urge to fall asleep, your meeting is NOT doing its job.)
How Do You Ensure A Good Meeting Will Occur?
Guess what? There are actually some pretty simple ideas you can use to increase the likelihood that you have a good meeting. Try to make sure as many of the following are including in your planning:
- An Interactive Icebreaker or Watercooler Opening – Get attendees interested and loosened up by kicking off your meeting with informal fun to get everyone talking and comfortable.
- Great Lighting & Movement – Guess what? Dim lights and a sedentary environment often inspire naptime more than anything else. This might work for you if your goal is to design the perfect sleep environment but if your meeting goal is pretty much anything else, make sure you include bright daylight or overhead lighting as well as the opportunity to move around as much as possible.
- Break Your Agenda Into Easy-To-Manage Sections – One long, never-ending meeting can be exhausting to even the most resilient attendee. Break up sections into no more than 30-60 minute pieces. This will support the movement objective as well as give attendees an idea of pace and accomplishment.
- Keep It Active – There is a huge difference between one person standing up in front of a crowd and all attendees participating and getting involved. Even if the majority of your meeting must center around a single presentation or leader, you can include attendees by having them do exercises in small teams or with a partner to keep them engaged. Consider worksheets, quizzes or polls to keep everyone actively involved.
- Include A Takeaway – What will attendees take home with them? A motivational idea, new partner or an awesome song via team collaboration? Whatever it is–make sure it is something. A great takeaway will keep the positive effects of your meeting working for you long after the agenda has wrapped.
Remember that a great meeting is set apart by not only what comes of it (your results) but how attendees feel when they are done. Inspired, excited attendees are more likely to carry the results of your meeting on far longer than those who trudged out of the last session with eyes barely open.