2 rules and 7 habits for creative and engaging meetings

Ruben van der LaanInnovation / Change / Participation

Ideas travel from mind to mind

are being used

recombined

fall apart

get lost and father new ideas...

...if people are willing

to engage themselves

and open up to each other

2 rules for creative and engaging meetings

An engaging meeting will never follow plan

If the meeting follows plan, you will have had a sub-optimal meeting

7 habitsfor creative and engaging meetings

Prepare

Prepare to improvise

Create an inspiring space

Create an appreciative atmosphere and use meaningful games

Work in small groups

Make few but lasting decisions

Follow up immediately

Prepare

Is the goal clear? Have you checked with key participants?

Give this step ample time

Alone you might go fast, but together you go further (why do you organise a meeting in the first place?)

Prepare to improvise

Engaged people want to share

They will interfere with your nicely drafted agenda

Prepare for the unprepared

Surf on the energy that you unleash

The participants will lead you to your goal, as long as you keep the goal clear

Create an inspiring space

Create a set-up that keeps the energy positive and flowing

Bring in daylight, change set-ups, get people moving

Have good food and drinks!

Create an appreciative atmosphere and use meaningful games

Say: ‘yes, and…’ NOT ‘..., but...’

Connect with people, invite them to share

Listen to their ideas and build on them

Keep it playful

Work in small groups

People don’t like big groups

In groups of 3-5 you feel much more at ease to share

And then ideas will propagate

Make few but lasting decisions

A decision requires action

But people already have so much to do

So take a piecemeal approach

And take 1 good decision instead of 5 poor ones

Follow up immediately

Don’t wait, implement right now

Keep the energy on the process

Get things rolling, other actions will follow (and no, you don’t necessarily need a meeting to decide on those!)

Ruben van der LaanInnovation / Change / Participation+31 6 128 000 62info@rubenvanderlaan.comtwitter: @rubenvanderlaanwww.rubenvanderlaan.com