Meetings Can Be Fun?
By Renée Eaton
So you walk into your office in the morning, flick on your computer and open your Outlook which cheerfully reminds you of your upcoming meeting that day.
Yes, dreadful isn't it? Another meeting.
Do you ever feel that you have meeting after meeting, but nothing seems to get accomplished?
Or people come into them already on the defensive about the topic making it hard to move ahead and find a solution?
Or everyone is uneasy about speaking up so participation is low and no one throws out any ideas?
What if I told you adding a little fun to your meetings could help with these problems and others? That's right. You could increase levels of comfort and interaction, promote brainstorming, improve communication, increase motivation and break down barriers.
Wondering how to do this?
Simply take five minutes (or ten if you can spare them) at the beginning of your meeting and introduce an "icebreaker." You can find tons of these games and questions through an online search, but here a few I found for a start:
Questions
If you were an animal, what would you be and why? (Ex. I would be a dog because I'm loyal and like to sleep on the couch all day.)
What's your favorite cartoon character, and why?
What is one goal you'd like to accomplish during your lifetime?
These allow your group to get to know one another better, especially if you have a new coworker amongst you. They can also lead to more open, insightful discussions by showing people it is okay to contribute. Furthermore, by sharing more about themselves, people will begin to pick up on each others' talents and skills and be able to utilize them more.
Games
Look Up, Look Down: This is just like Simon Says, but someone just keeps saying look up and look down in random order. Everyone has to follow the commands and when they don't, they get booted from the game. This is an excellent game to sharpen listening skills before a meeting.
Shooting Hoops: Have one person come to the front of the room and stand so they are facing everyone else. Put an empty cardboard box behind them, but not directly behind them. Have 30 or so pieces of crumpled paper close to the person. The rest of the group must now give the person instructions and tips on how to get the paper into the box without turning around. When that person has tossed three pieces into the box, then another person comes up and tries until everyone has had a turn. This game is terrific at encouraging constructive feedback and getting people to work together.
A Lie and Two Truths: Each person must tell everyone two true things about themselves and one lie. Everyone has to guess which one is the lie. This is a great way for everyone to get to know one another and also for getting people to drop their guard and be more open.
These may seem like just a lighthearted way to start a meeting, but they go far in building healthy work environments. They can lighten the mood when you have to deal with a difficult situation that could be stressful and can foster creativity and innovative problem solving.
A couple caveats:
1. Be careful to not play games or ask questions which may embarrass people.
2. Try to pick activities that are related to the goal of your meeting, i.e. brainstorming, problem solving, etc. Short games will boost energy while longer games will allow people to get to know one another better.
Share Your Fun! (This is it, your call for action!)
I want you to try one of these games (or one of your own) in your next meeting and let me know how it went! Did it help with your meeting? If so, how? Send me an e-mail (reaton@bizxcel.com) with the details of your icebreaker. Attach a picture of your team (preferably playing the game) as well and I'll feature your stories in the next ezine!
Now go out and have some fun! (Just don't forget the work part either).
Super Bonus Game for the Adventurous!!
Try this one at your own peril: The Human Knot. Just make sure to leave one person out of the mix to take pictures!
To learn more about improving your company, contact Gary Gzik at 613.342.2200 ext. 108 or at ggzik@bizxcel.com.
Renée Eaton is a Communications Specialist, researcher and writer for BizXcel Inc. and editor for Generating Greatness
