How to host more interactive meetings
There is a move towards making meetings less passive, more active. Speakers are now being seen as facilitators of learning, instead of simply dispensers of information
Here’s our advice on holding interactive meetings:
Let the group break out
Break-out sessions are a great way to get attendees talking and thinking more directly about the topics of the meeting.
These could include mini-tasks, games or simply just going over the key points so far in smaller groups.
A good way to make these more effective is by having people physically move from the meeting room. A change of scenery can get the creative juices flowing.
Give them a say in the content
As a host or speaker, we all like to go into a big meeting with our notes prepared.
But what is useful and interesting to one person might be old news to another. Ask those coming to the meeting to get involved with the planning.
Ask them:
• What area they would like to cover?
• What would they like to take away from the meeting?
• Any areas they have no interest in?
You might see patterns form with a number of people wanting to know about a specific topic.
Tweet as you meet
Social media is a great way to engage people both before and during meetings.
Give attendees an idea of what the content of the meeting will be beforehand and get them tweeting ideas, inspiration, facts or questions with a hashtag.
During the meeting, you can have the tweets up on screen. If it’s a long meeting, the Twitter feed could be live with guests tweeting their questions.
Present information in new ways
The TV/slideshow combo has performed well for a number of years now, but it’s a very passive way of getting information across.
To keep people involved and their minds active, try mixing things up with different ways of presenting the same information.
You could use YouTube clips to demonstrate a point, or ask people to draw their answers instead of write them. They could then tweet their finished drawings.
Posted by Ashleigh Sharp
