July 10th, 2023 - Meeting that Don’t Suck ARE Possible
Meetings That Don’t Suck ARE Possible
Be sure to read through to the bottom about an exciting announcement!
Most meetings suck. I think we can all agree on that. The ones that could’ve been an email or the ones that should’ve been a 1:1 between those two that just won’t stop talking. And don’t get me started on weekly or {gasp; shudder} DAILY stand-ups.
Fixing your meetings isn’t hard. You just make them playful.
Let’s start with what NOT to do. Not fun. Never forced fun.
Please do not make your team take off their shoes for any reason. I don’t care how many team-building websites you saw the activity on, SKIP IT.
If you haven’t done the hard work of building trust within your teams, do not bring in improv.
Don’t introduce competition.
Don’t add games or other activities that aren’t directly linked to the meeting’s purpose.
Rather than telling you what TO DO, I’m going to give you four principles to remember when planning your agenda.
Make it Flexible
Make it Meaningful
Make it Actively Engaging
Make it Socially Interactive
Flexibility: Play is very personal! Some participants might be lighthearted, while others will be intellectually playful. Be conscious that there will very likely be introverts and neurodivergent individuals in your group. It's also important to incorporate iteration.
Meaningful: Though a huge aspect of play is that it's seemingly purposeless, when we are facilitating with professionals, it's crucial to integrate the goals of the organization or event into the activities.
Actively Engaging: Though movement is an effective tool, physical activity doesn't always have to be involved. Cognitive engagement is just as beneficial.
Socially Interactive: Diverse perspectives, opinions, thoughts, and ideas will enhance each aspect of the meeting or event. (please circle back to the note about introverts and neurodivergent individuals in the first principle)
Take a look at your meeting schedules and agendas - where do you already apply these principles? Where could you apply more? Need help? I’m here for you!
I have a full Playful Facilitation Training deck that I’d love to share with you. It has opener ideas, mid-meeting ideas, and general tips about how to boost your facilitation skills with playfulness. Just reply to this email if you’re interested!
Recent Blog Posts:
Whose Job is it to Create Engagement at Work?
COMING (REALLY REALLY) SOON! The Secret to Overcoming Imposter Phenomenon (spoiler alert: it’s playfulness and flow!) The on-demand, self-paced course is slated to launch in July. You can view a 3 minute intro video about it here!
Sign up HERE to get notified when it launches
AND
be put on the list for 10% off!
Subscriber First Name, join us for the first Inner Zest Retreat in beautiful Manitou Springs! September 29th to October 1st. Agenda and host details can be found here.
Early Bird Pricing is Available through June 30th!
Two sets of parentheses? Who even am I?
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How to Connect with Me!
Hire me to speak at your next event, conference, summit, or training! You can find more details about my speaking engagements here - interactive yet introvert-friendly, as always!
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In-person: I’m a member at Tarra, a lovely co-working space in Denver, Colorado. Let’s have coffee!