Every year, top executives waste hundreds of hours dealing with emails and ineffective meetings, and the cost ripples across the firm. Lost time does not only occur during meetings. The process of preparing for and wrapping up meetings also reduces productivity, with employees at all levels losing important work time each week.

Meetings, on the other hand, are a crucial element of doing business. Despite the numerous collaboration technologies available, face-to-face meetings are still the most efficient way to immediately exchange ideas.

Most people are used to boring meetings. Meetings, on the other hand, can be made more engaging and productive. Try these suggestions at your next meeting!

Why are some meetings so repetitive and boring?

Meetings can be frustrating for a variety of reasons.

• They can go on for much too long.
• Teammates may arrive unprepared.
• There could have been no graphic elements included by the host.
• One person may speak for the duration of the meeting
• One or more of the attendees may find the issue irrelevant.
• The gathering could have taken a wrong turn and deviated completely from the topic.

Failure to create a meeting agenda, as well as an acceptable guest list, will result in a chaotic, disorganised meeting that may go wrong. Continue reading to learn 10 professional strategies for organising an entertaining meeting that will leave participants feeling invigorated and inspired.

1. Change your surroundings

Working remotely can be challenging, especially if you work from the same location every day. It’s fantastic to have a functional workspace that is geared toward efficiency, but sometimes you just need a change of scenery. Consider taking your call from a coffee shop or coworking space if you’re looking for some ideas for your next meeting.

Consider hosting from a boardroom or a shared working space if you work in an office and need to liven things up. The possibilities are limitless! The most important thing is to find a workspace that motivates you to accomplish your best job. After all, you can’t host a great meeting if you’re not in the correct frame of mind. If it’s a big meeting with clients, out-of-the-country meetings are well-recommended. You can check this meeting room hire Parramatta in Australia. 

2. Send the agenda in advance

Sending the agenda before the meeting begins is a wonderful way to avoid dull sessions. Circulating the agenda prior to the meeting allows guests to become acquainted with the subject ahead of time. They will be more likely to pay attention and engage in the topics that arise during the meeting if they know what to expect and have time to prepare. Sending out the agenda ahead of time allows everyone to prepare questions and discussion points.

3. Utilize visual aids

Visual aids are an excellent method to engage your meeting attendees by providing them with something fascinating to look at. However, because PowerPoint presentations have become so embedded in business meetings, employees often experience slide weariness. Consider using additional presentation software to spice up your slides, but don’t go overboard. If you use too many images and sound effects, your meeting will become a circus.

4. Begin with an icebreaker

It can be tough to engage the audience as a meeting host. If teammates on the call are unfamiliar with each other, they may feel awkward and are less likely to join in the chat. Hosting an icebreaker as soon as the meeting begins is a terrific approach to help everyone feel more at ease. Your icebreaker does not have to be difficult. It may be as simple as asking everyone to contribute something about their weekend and then tagging another teammate when they’re done. It’s critical to keep things as swift and painless as possible.

When selecting an icebreaker, your primary goal should be to get your team talking and feeling at ease. Set a time restriction for each person to stay on topic. When their time is up, they must give the microphone to a new colleague. It is critical to stick to your schedule or meeting agenda.

Set a time restriction for each person to stay on topic. When their time is up, they must give the mic to a new colleague. It is critical to stick to your schedule or meeting agenda.

5. Gamify

Make a game out of it to give employees a cause to pay attention. Hand out a Buzzword Bingo Sheet before the meeting and announce that the first participant to get Bingo receives a gift. Employees can cross off keywords like “fast track” and “game plan” as participants utilise them. They will not only be alert, but they will also have fun.

6. Bring in some food

This is my personal favourite tip. Even if nothing else gets done, at least you had something to eat. Instead of hosting your usual Monday morning staff meeting, arrange special lunches where employees are invited to dine before the meeting begins. Even a box of doughnuts or bagels might make employees look forward to meetings. Businesses foster employee interaction and bonding by providing food at meetings.

7. Encourage constructive debate

Nothing is more frustrating than hosting a meeting with little or no participation. If you notice that everyone on the call is unusually quiet, you might want to start the conversation by sparking a pleasant debate. Encouraging teammates to speak up and share their perspectives is a fantastic place to start. When your teammates start sharing their thoughts, you may reassure them that each meeting is a safe area for them to speak and debate. Remind your teammates that everyone must stay pleasant and respectful in order to hold a friendly debate.

8. The meeting should conclude with action items

Without action items, some attendees may feel that the meeting was in vain. To motivate your teammates and make them feel like the meeting was productive, dedicate a chunk of your meeting schedule to action items. Action items guarantee that everyone in attendance knows what to do after the meeting. Assigning specific action items lets everyone in the room feel like the meeting was worthwhile. Rather than leaving with no strategy or direction, everyone can leave feeling accomplished and with a clear grasp of the next steps.

9. Give rewards

Professional presenters encourage engagement by rewarding individuals who ask or answer questions when urged. Simply bring a bag of Hershey’s Kisses or other little foil-wrapped candy to the meeting and toss a piece to each participant in the audience. Even those who don’t enjoy chocolate will often want to join in the fun.

10. Change some things 

A workplace can easily settle into a habit over time. Surprise staff with a special “field trip” to a fun area like a bowling alley or ice cream parlour the next time a meeting is scheduled. Your colleagues will most certainly enjoy the outing, and when you return to the conference room, they will have a stronger sense of camaraderie as well as some interesting stories to relate to.

Business meetings are an unavoidable aspect of the job, but they don’t have to be tedious. You’ll hold employees’ attention and obtain amazing ideas from your team if you find ways to make your meetings exciting and fun.