Another way: Walking meetings

Ideas and advice from a meeting walker

“I can’t seem to get on LibraryConnect out here. Can anyone remember what was on the agenda?”. (Image: Jamie Street on Unsplash)

I know what you’re thinking: How will my PowerPoint look outdoors? Can we read an agenda on foot without bumping into things? And what if it rains? 🌧

Walking meetings — which are, essentially, as simple as they sound — will not replace all of your current meetings: there are limitations, things that can go wrong, and practicalities to consider (not least in Manchester). However, if you have been reading Meetings Makeover, you may agree that meetings are often unnecessary, that alternative formats are worth trying, and that we already spend a lot of time walking to and from meetings!

So in this post, I would like to share my experience of walking meetings; what benefits they can have; and when/how they can be most useful. If you have experienced walking meetings, please comment below with any tips or ideas.

Careering ahead: my first walking meeting

It was 2013, and I worked at the University of York. Six colleagues and I heard about a challenge to “Get the University moving” and signed up as a team (based in Careers, we were team Career Ahead!). We each got a pedometer, and every day we logged as many steps as we could on the challenge website, taking our team on a virtual world tour.

We soon got competitive and started finding ways to cram more steps into the day: walking to work; lunchtime tap-dancing lessons (really!); and dancing while ironing to get to 10,000 steps before midnight. But my colleague Kate (a careers coach with her own podcast!) and I saw the value of something we already did: lunchtime campus strolls. The University of York is literally a nature reserve, with the highest Duck Density of any UK university. Kate and I would often enjoy taking a walk to see what avians we could spot (and the occasional quadruped too).

No, this isn’t Chris with his hair long, it’s Tone the Pone (as we called him), who we would often see on a campus walk! (Image: author’s own)

We realised that many good ‘work’ ideas had come out of lunchtime walks, and so we decided to make it official. We learned that walking meetings are, in fact, a thing, so we headed out at the first opportunity. It didn’t always work, but we soon learned when walking meetings were best, and why.

Why walk?

The articles/video linked above gives plenty of reasons for walking meetings, but in my view, the main benefits are:

• Research suggests that walking boosts certain forms of creative thinking
• It is also believed that seeing nature while at work can reduce stress
• Talking on the move can feel more relaxed — less pressure to fill silence, or get through an agenda, because you are always doing something (moving)
• Meeting with no agenda, documents, or actions can be a good thing for ‘ideas’ work such as problem-solving, brainstorming, or exploring options
• Enjoying a walk together can have positive social effects among colleagues

“Wow, look at the view up here. Can you remember what we were meeting about? I guess we’d better head back anyway.” (Image: Zach Taiji on Unsplash)

When does it work?

Not all meetings are well-suited to walking. A large committee will struggle to communicate while trying not to take up the whole path. Many things should not be discussed in public. And if you need detailed minutes of a meeting… you may be better off indoors. However, below are some tips from my own experience on when meeting on the move may be worth trying.

• Very small meetings (2–3 people) work best — you can communicate with other, and changing formation has less impact
• Walking gets you there quicker — I’ve found walking meetings are often shorter than expected, maybe because of the topics they suit. Schedule 30 minutes, aim to be back in 25, and you may find you only need 15.
• Think about routes — pick a route which you know, or have tried in advance: it should be safe, accessible to all involved, and ideally avoid things like: lots of waiting at pedestrian crossings, walking near busy roads, noisy building sites, crowded streets. I find that the more greenery and wildlife, the better. Check out walking groups for inspiration.
• Spoken topics are best — if you need to refer to anything presented on screen/paper, moving is not a good option. Go for topics which you could discuss on the phone — but you want to explore in a different way.
• Ideas have legs — Because walking meetings lend themselves to discussion without reference to paper/screen, they force us to be clear and concise. This makes them great for topics where ideas are more important than precise details. For example, you may have an idea or problem which you want to talk through — a walk with one colleague could help. You may have an infographic which you would like to discuss — maybe stay indoors.
• Leave actions until the end — You may come up with actions in a walking meeting, but try using most of the time to discuss ideas, and only the final five minutes to discuss what might need doing next. This keeps actions simple, and fresh in your mind as you return to where you can record them
• Non-confidential subjects are essential — if it needs discussing in private, keep it that way.

Where to next?

The above is just based on my experience, and yours may differ — my main advice would be to try it, enjoy it, and see what works for you. I really enjoy walking meetings, although these days I don’t do them as often as I’d like. Writing this post has motivated me to get back into the habit, so if you want to discuss something with me and fancy trying something new, let’s move!

I know I have had walking meetings with some of my colleagues in the Library, but I wonder how many of us have tried it, or if anyone does it regularly. If you have any tips, routes or anything else you’d like to share, please comment below — or in person, on the move, or email if you prefer :¬)