5 tips for making meetings more meaningful
We are all too familiar with that feeling of dread when we open our diaries and staring back at us is a day full of back-to-back meetings. And with the thought of them all being confined to that small box on your computer screen, it’s no wonder we’re all struggling to stay engaged.
Wouldn’t it be nice if online meetings were less of a chore? What if they could even be fun?
With summer here and the freedom to see our friends and family, it can be hard to stay motivated, particularly when stuck in front of a screen. So it’s even more important that we support our people and ensure that they feel engaged and excited about the work that they do.
So what can you do?
1. Be clear on the purpose of your meeting
No one wants a meeting for the sake of it. You need to be super clear on why you’re having the meeting and your desired outcome for it. Once you’ve got that nailed, you’ll know what the meeting needs to look like, what to prepare, how to host and…
2. Consider who you invite
How do you create a good meeting guest list? By understanding what you want to achieve and the people who can help you get there. Only those people should be invited, leave the others to do their own thing and they will be grateful to get the time back. Through inviting the core people you need only, and sharing the purpose of your meeting beforehand, it will help your attendees prepare and input more effectively.
3. Check-in at the start
We’re humans, not robots — so take the time to check-in with people when you start the meeting. A simple question like, “What’s one word to describe how you feel today?”, is a good way to get a feel of where people are at and how to be accommodating of this during the meeting.
4. Make time for movement
For the last 18 months, most of us have been sat at the same desk, with the same bad posture. One of our favourite ways to add movement into a meeting is through a “stretch & share”; invite participants to take it turns to share something about their day whilst doing a stretch that the rest of the team copy. The physical movement accompanied with discussion increases energy and alertness. Trust us on this one, it really works!
5. Encourage engagement
With dodgy Wifi and choruses of “you’re on mute”, it can be hard to get everyone’s input when meeting online. So it’s vital that you provide a way for everyone can engage. For example, Lauren Currie encourages her audiences to use a “+1” in the chat box to express their agreement during her virtual talks. The chat function can be a powerful tool, plus it’s more inclusive as it accommodates the more introverted amongst us, so don’t forget to use it to make sure all voices are heard, not just the loud ones.
These are just a handful of ways that we like to support teams in their day-to-day ways of working. We now challenge you to take a look at your diary, choose a meeting and apply the above rules to it. Try them out, see how the meeting feels, how people respond and let us know how you get on.
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About the author
Alicia is one of two co-founders at The Future Kind Collective which exists to build a world that is kinder, fairer and more creative, where all people have the opportunity to do great things.
Alicia is a strategic designer with a passion for creating experiences and environments that enable insight, creativity and growth.
After starting her career in the art world, she went on to apply her creative thinking to the marketing, design and strategies of start-ups, scale-ups, government organisations and FTSE-100s internationally.
Throughout her career she has worked closely with business founders, supporting and guiding them in the successful launch of products, services and companies in international markets. She has led the development of government programmes that embed service design capabilities into organisations, helping them to grow their impact through better understanding their consumers and establishing customer-centric cultures.
About The Future Kind Collective
The Future Kind Collective is a purpose-driven consultancy which exists to build a world that is kinder, fairer and more creative, where all people have the opportunity to do great things.
We help start-ups and scale-ups to define their purpose, design their culture and grow their impact, while also embedding the skills they need to unlock their power.
We’re here to challenge the existing consultancy model and prove that by putting people and purpose first, you can create businesses that are more profitable, impactful and equitable.
To find out more or to chat over a challenge you’re grappling with, get in touch at hello@thefuturekind.co
We’d love to hear from you!
