According to a recent article at TheMuse.com, upper management spends up to fifty percent of their time in meetings. It is estimated that over 37 billion dollars is spent on unproductive meetings and that there are 25 million meetings per day in the U.S. However, meetings should be an energizing get-together that brings employees together to have fun, learn and improve the company. Below explains six ways that you can increase meeting excitement.
Preparation
The first step in creating a stimulating meeting is to prepare for a successful meeting. Proper planning, a meeting outline and clear expectations are important. For example, set the expectation that no multitasking or cell phone usage is allowed. Start and stop on time, keep the meeting under 30 minutes and don’t allow any long winded rants.
Start Strong
Instead of jumping into major problems, start out on a positive tone. Hand out small treats or healthy snacks for employees. Try something creative, like bringing in Lego’s and having employees compete for a prize. If employees are especially stiff, try an icebreaker activity, such as having employees exchange something personal, yet fun about themselves.
The Right Person
The person who conducts the meetings needs to have the right attitude and personality. Make sure that the person is outgoing, energetic and passionate. One of the easiest ways to kill excitement is to have a somber or sour faced person be in charge. The right person can set the standard the meetings are fun and interactive.
Provide Practical Training
Meetings too often focus on problems or numbers. Employees need practical training that applies to their work. Consider having short, hands on employee training through role playing. For example, have customer service reps act out scenarios involving difficult clients. One of the best ways to get people to pay attention is to tell them they will be acting in front of the group.
Empower Employees
Instead of having management control meetings, designate an employee as the meeting leader. They can assign other attendees different responsibilities. Employee run meetings will be more informal and encourage employee participation and interaction.
Change Locations
Familiarity breeds contempt. Avoid monotony through changing meeting locations. Unexpected or ambiguous situations naturally make people curious and attentive. Nobody will complain about meeting for a free lunch at a nice restaurant. Surprise employees by meeting at a formal location, which can be found through a company such as Noah’s Event Venues.
There are plenty of unique ways to encourage casual and exciting meetings. Learn more fascinating meeting statistics here: https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-much-time-do-we-spend-in-meetings-hint-its-scary.
