Meetings are important. They take people away from very necessary everyday tasks in order to go over important strategies, learn new skills, and streamline processes that will make your business or organization more successful. Thus, it’s incredibly important that these meetings be effective and engaging for participants, whether they work in a law firm or for a company that manufactures labels.
By providing a stimulating atmosphere, you can ensure that every single employee will get the most out of your next meeting and come away with lessons that they can use in the future. One of the best ways to arrange for this is to rent a beautiful and convenient conference center in your area. However, a good location will only go so far; you’ll also need to make sure that the other aspects of the presentation are equally appealing. Try out some of the following methods when planning your next meeting:
Get People Familiar with One Another
If you were to call an office-wide meeting right now, how many people would you know from other departments? People tend to know and socialize with those that they already work with, which can cause problems in both small offices and huge conglomerates. If you want to encourage positive participation and a lively exchange of ideas, let your meeting attendants get to know each other first.
Plan for some fun icebreaker activities that not only encourage people to talk to one another, but even get them to move around. Split them up into groups in different areas of your conference room, and have them come up with a list of five things they all have in common. Get them talking and thinking, and soon enough they’ll be ready to interact.
Take Visuals to the Next Level
PowerPoint presentations and printed copies of meeting agendas can convey necessary information, but it’s not exactly a novel way to do things. Instead of printing outlines and lines of text, find a new, attractive way to present what you need to say. Programs like Prezi can help you turn ordinary bits of information into memorable visual presentations. Also, consider using audio and video formats to put something eye catching together. Your cell phone most likely comes with a great microphone and camera, so find a fun way to use it!
Ask Open-ended Questions
Do you want to know the easiest way to stop a real conversation from happening? Ask questions that can be answered with a simple “yes” or a “no.” You will end up with very short discussions and the atmosphere in your presentation will be full of awkward silences. If you want people at your meeting to engage with you and one another, ask open-ended questions that would require the speaker to go into detail about their ideas.
Heading to a fresh location, asking good questions, encouraging familiarity, and having access to superior technology will enliven your staff members and get them the information that they need to be productive members of the team. Check out the many excellent venues that will allow your company to achieve this today!
