The Concept of Meetings
Hi Friends!
Look, I'm just going to say what everyone is thinking. Nobody actually likes meetings (Unless there will be snacks, in which case I might be a little excited about the meeting.) So before you send a calendar invite to set up a meeting, please do everyone a favor and ask your self, " should this be an email"? If the answer is yes, then congrats! You will sleep well at night, knowing that you saved a couple of lives today. Please send your email and keep it pushing. If the answer is no and you absolutely MUST have a meeting, I have created a list of some helpful tips to keep in mind. ( NOTE: These tips can be applied to in-person meetings and virtual meetings #Covid19.)
As the host of the meeting, please create an agenda and attach it to the meeting invite. This will help keep the meeting on track and ensure you are as efficient as possible. The goal is to get in and get out so that nobody gets hurt. Which brings me to my next point...
Try your very VERY best to end the meeting on time. Keep an eye on the clock. If the meeting is going to run over, ask everyone in the meeting if they are okay with continuing with the meeting. We love a #thoughtful host.
Try to keep the meeting under an hour. ( Ergo tip: I recommend taking a break from sitting at least once an hour, so please try not to hold your attendee's hostage for more than an hour without giving them a break.)
Schedule breaks in the agenda and encourage people to stand up and stretch. BONUS POINTS if you lead the attendees with some quick stretches.
Schedule a walking meeting if possible to allow your attendees to get moving. Remember, movement is one of the goals in ergonomics!
When scheduling the meeting, try to be a pal and look at everyone's calendars. Try not to schedule meetings back to back. People are not robots. We need time to be human.
Enjoy your meeting that nobody wants to attend :)