Meetings are a necessary feature of life in business, but it’s no secret that lots of employees quickly come to resent them, especially when they have become formulaic and not much gets accomplished anyway.
As it has been shown time and again, meetings are not always time well spent:
Fact: A large proportion of employees spend at least one day of their working week or more either in or preparing for meetings. Half of employees think this is too much time taken out of their working week.
Fact: Meetings use up precious resources: time, brainpower and money.
Fact: Many employees confess to daydreaming, working on other things and even dozing during meetings.
There are hundreds of thousands of businesses in Dubai, with millions of employees between them; that adds up to a lot of wasted hours. How can we make better use of this time?
We can’t escape the need to hold meetings for creativity and for collaboration; they are an essential business tool. However, as leaders, we can focus our efforts on making them more worthwhile, enjoyable and stimulating. Here’s how:
Take a Change of Scene
If meetings in the same old room are starting to feel stale, then it’s a good idea to move the venue occasionally. Why not take the meeting to someplace really different? Changing the working environment can give fresh creative impetus and revive a tired project.
Dubai’s bold cityscape is perfect for inspiring creativity. Choosing a meeting venue where you can take advantage of these stimulating views makes sense.
For somewhere that is also creative, unusual but comfortable, a venue such as JA Bateaux Dubai encourages your staff to “think outside the boat” so to speak. This nautical venue is well-equipped and features choices of meeting space for up to 100 people.
Set a Strict Time Limit and Have Fun With It
Once a meeting has overrun its allotted time, it’s rarely productive anymore. Everyone is eager to leave the room, and most will have stopped listening. Contrary to popular belief, more time won’t breed more ideas; creativity grows better with reasonable constraint.
The trick to fruitful meetings is to ensure that everyone’s on the same page; meetings must be concise. Set a really strict time limit. There should be no interruptions or straying off the agenda.
Consider ‘fining’ individuals who contribute to a meeting overrunning. For instance, anyone who speaks off-topic or after the allotted time must complete a fun forfeit, such as pushups or bringing in treats the next day. A donation to the company’s chosen charity can work as a ‘punishment,’ too.
The aim is to keep the meeting concise, but if it doesn’t work out that way, at least your staff can bond over the forfeit experience.
Keep It Moving
Did anyone ever say meetings had to be conducted sitting down? No. Next time you look around to a sea of yawning faces in an afternoon meeting, you’ll see why getting people up and moving might work better.
Walking or sports-based meetings can work really well (there’s a reason so much business gets done on the golf course!).
Exercise benefits the mind as well as the body. The body feels freer and, therefore, so does the mind. To many, speaking while moving alongside people is less intimidating than addressing them directly. It feels like discussion, rather than an inquisition.
Promote Active Listening
Fidgeting and fiddling during meetings isn’t necessarily distracting. Research has suggested that doodling during meetings can improve concentration by almost a third. Why not encourage staff by handing out sketchbooks, coloring books, crayons and pencils?
Ditch the Meetings for a Day
For a morale boost, it’s worth losing the office routine for a day and taking things out the city. A corporate away day out in the mountains is perfect for nurturing team spirit. Try a biking or kayaking adventure for team bonding. This is certainly a meeting no one will resent attending.
There really is no reason to stick to the same boring meeting routine; these straightforward ideas can quickly revive a flagging team and stale working week. Look forward to better workplace morale, more creativity and better output.
AUTHOR BIO
Thomas Grundner is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for JA Resorts & Hotels. He has more than 20 years of expertise in the hospitality and leisure industry – across international markets including Germany, Egypt and Spain. Grundner oversees all sales, marketing and revenue efforts as the company continues to build on its key growth and development strategies and further cultivates its unique blend of “Heartfelt Hospitality” and “Casual Luxury.”
