A seminal, 1999 study by organisational psychologists at California University, found conclusively that employees who have more fun at work, are
more motivated, creative, productive and engaged, take fewer sick days and
demonstrate better timekeeping.
Nevertheless, only 8% of managers subsequently polled actively look for ways to introduce more fun into their working environments. If your team meetings are getting tired and stale, try some of these tried and tested tips for dialling
up the enjoyment factor.
1. BREAK THE ICE WITH A SHARING SESSION
Organisational psychologists have found that the way a meeting kicks off sets the tone for the whole session – the more positive the opener, the more productive the meeting, and vice versa.
Before you get into the usual roundtable of updates, give every attendee a set time (30 seconds or less) to contribute to a positive weekly theme. Examples include: “The thing I’m most proud of this week”; “My top tip for to-do list
management”; “My idea of the perfect work night out”; “Someone I’d like to thank from the last week is…”. Attendees can take turns choosing the weekly theme, and whoever coordinates the meeting should ensure this is circulated in
advance, so those who dislike being put on the spot have time to think (this is also a great way to encourage everyone to read the agenda!). If the initiative works, up the ante by introducing a competitive element (a leader board of
best responses, say, with a prize for the first to win ten stars).
2. GET CREATIVE WITH YOUR AGENDA VOCAB
Add a little intrigue or humour before the meeting even kicks off, by swapping out the usual chapter titles (“Update from marketing”, “Monthly stats” and “Any other business”) with more entertaining or witty headlines more personal to
your team and the individuals in it. Not knowing what to expect might well lead to more eyeballs on your agenda, thereby ensuring participants are better prepared to take part, as well as arriving with a smile on their faces.
3. SHAKE UP THE ENVIRONMENT
The average British worker, a survey found, spends over five and a half hours per day at their desks. Not all offices have the sit-on-beanbags and doodle-on-the-walls philosophy of organisations like Google, but leaders can still use
the team get-together as an opportunity to get a change of scene.
“When you’re [walking], your endorphins are up, you’re out of a traditional office — out of your element. You’re able to talk about things more openly and candidly.”
Entrepreneur Caroline Limpert, who starts each day with a walking meeting with her FITiST co-founder.
Walking meetings are becoming increasingly popular and are proven to make meetings shorter, more productive and more
collaborative (as well as having the obvious health benefits). Don’t worry if a walking meeting is not yet the done thing at your organisation, says entrepreneur Damien Clarkson, writing in The Guardian: “Set an example: at first you’ll
be the ‘crazy walking meeting person’ but after a while you’ll have some disciples. Ride out the storm, be the pioneer – you will look better for it and people will want to feel and look like you do.”
4. SWAP BRAINSTORMING FOR PLAYING GAMES
There’s nothing in theory wrong with organising a brainstorm – after all, solving problems with creative ideas is a daily part of life in the
office. It’s just that for many, the term is synonymous with yet another hour of let’s-go-round-the-table.
The savvy manager needing to generate ideas among the team will spend time beforehand researching some innovative ways to elicit quality ideas. In Gamestorming, authors Dave Gray, Sunni Brown, and James Macanufo suggest various
techniques. You could try the “button” solution to the round-table approach, whereby the person passed the button (or who scores highest on a roll of dice) speaks next. To add some humour and out-of-box thinking use the ‘anti-problem’
method, whereby instead of focussing on the problem at hand (e.g. we don’t have enough customers), you look at the opposite (e.g. how can we drive away customers?). ‘Brainwriting’ is great for collaboration and on the spot thinking –
give each person an index card on which they write their idea. They then pass it along to the next person, who adds their thoughts or new ideas inspired by the original one.
5. TAKE A DEEP BREATH… AND MAKE ALL MEETINGS VOLUNTARY
You might think it’s imperative that all your direct reports regularly get together, but do they? If not, ask yourself if it’s down to the way the meeting is structured or lack of clarity about its purpose. A Boeing Vice President lets
all his employees decide whether or not to attend his sessions, and uses regular absences versus full houses as a barometer of his effectiveness at managing meetings. By introducing some of the more fun elements described above, you
might just see your attendance rate skyrocket.
