Creative activities for online meetings

We often hear the tappity-tap of people working on emails while they’re online in a meeting.

It’s not their fault. 

They’re BORED!

They’ve had four of these boring meetings today. And you're dragging them through another one? YAWN!

We must make things more relevant, more creative - and it will most certainly be more effective.

If you’re inviting people to an online meeting to work, plan, contribute or decide, be sure you have a range of inspiring activities on hand. 

Giving people a question and putting them in breakout rooms is done - overdone! And it's just ONE activity. 

There are MANY OTHER WAYS to add connection, relevance and creativity to online meetings.

And it need not be ‘crazy creativity’ but relevant, smart and brilliant creativity!

I’ve spent years creating activities for meetings. And I’ve adapted, edited and morphed existing activities to make them more interesting ... and they work online too. 

Too much ‘listen only’ mode

Whether the online meeting software automatically tells you or not, too often we are put in ‘listen only mode’ in online meetings and workshops. 

And some of the reasons (excuses?) why there isn’t greater interaction : 
* too many people
* not enough time
* too much content
* the pressure of a deadline 

... and other explanations for why we’re keeping people quiet while meeting online. 

While many face-to-face meetings were poorly run, our online meetings are now just as bad. 

Better facilitation skills are needed by most leaders today, and more-so in this online environment. 

Better facilitation skills are about 
- The preparation 
- The design
- The delivery 
of the meeting or workshop. 

We have to do things a little differently and we must allow more time and space for people to contribute.

Listen only mode? 
That’s not how better work gets done these days. 

DIY learning

While a global pandemic may have put a stop to many things, our need for learning hasn’t stopped. 

It’s increased!

Even though company budgets have been paused or slashed, we still have a need to learn so we can
🌕 cope with new situations, 
🌕 take on different responsibilities and 
🌕 adapt to new environments. 

If your client or employer has put a pause on learning, what could you do for yourself to keep your development active? 

Podcasts, books, webinars, masterclasses: so much more has become available in these times. 

We have a HUGE opportunity to DIY or design our own learning plan and program. 

Small investments at this time can reap us some mighty big returns in confidence, capability and skills ... which convert into greater career opportunities for what’s ahead. 

Start now on the DIY project that’s your own learning.

Why does it resonate

When something resonates, it reverberates. The sound is prolonged and full. 

When something resonates for someone, it’s having that full reverberation with them, echoing, resounding, filling space. 

It’s like the sound in an opera house, specifically designed for reverberation. Or the drawn out ‘donnnnnnnggg’ of a bell. 

Resonance in humans is a pretty big deal!

‘This really resonated with me’, is a comment we’ll read or hear from people. They’re sharing the effect a message, story or experience had for them. 

Take notice when someone says that it resonated. It tells you about what’s important to them, what’s on their mind, and what they might need. 

It highlights what connected and reverberated for them. 

And it’s so important today... in times where we’ve been socially distanced, working remotely, and dealing with significant change. 

We can notice when something resonates for us, too. 

It means we’ve struck something - important, meaningful and valuable. 

The load we create and allow

If you or your team are still having back-to-back meetings throughout the day, stop! Please?

The blend of one meeting into the next does nothing for cognitive load coping. Our overload stays in overload because there’s no chance to ... unload. 

That means when you want to get great ideas and contributions from the team, they won’t have them. 

When you want them to work on planning, collaborating or decision-making, they won’t have the space and attention for it. 

We may think people are disconnected or disengaged when they could be cognitively overloaded.

For clearer and fresher thinking, invite, welcome and encourage breaks between (and within) meetings. 

Even a few minutes makes a difference. 

Create a break:
⏰ Start meetings off the hour at 10 past. 
⏰ Finish meetings prior to the hour. 

Working back-to-back isn’t smarter, particularly when you’re already overloaded. 

It might feel busy and important. 

Instead, it’s overloading the system... our system. Us.