Stop Snoozefests: 7 Tips to Make Your Next Staff Meeting Anything But Boring
How to revitalise your team communication and turn your meetings into more engaging and productive experiences.
Are your staff meetings feeling a little lacklustre? Do you find your team members checking their phones or nodding off during the meeting? Although staff meetings are crucial in keeping your practice running smoothly and your team motivated, they can quickly become a dreaded obligation. Perhaps the meetings are too long, the discussions are not engaging enough, or the topics are irrelevant to some team members. As a Practice Manager, it's up to you to change the narrative. Your staff meetings should be inspiring, interactive, innovative, and entertaining, compelling your team members to attend with eagerness.
We want your next staff meeting to be a smashing success, so we've put together a list of 7 tips to help you prepare and make it truly outstanding.
Tip 1 - Give your agenda the time it deserves and share it before the meeting
The backbone of your staff meeting is your agenda, which guides discussions and provides direction. To ensure a successful meeting that staff members want to attend, take the time necessary to plan your agenda carefully. When adding items to the agenda, evaluate each item and ask if it's relevant to everyone attending and if it needs to be discussed during the meeting or if it can be addressed outside of the meeting. This evaluation will prevent unnecessary discussions and ensure that there aren't too many topics on the agenda. Avoid having conversations that aren't relevant to all attendees, as this can cause them to tune out. If you think the meeting will be too long, schedule another meeting instead of having everyone sit through a lengthy one.
Share the agenda with your staff a week before the meeting to allow them to organise themselves and prepare their thoughts and comments. You can attach a brief description of each agenda item to encourage them to think about the topics in greater depth before the meeting, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and saving time during the meeting.
Need a plan for your staff meeting?
Optimise your staff meetings with our Preparing for Your Staff Meetings checklist.
Tip 2 - Stick to the designated time
One of the biggest challenges of running a productive staff meeting is sticking to the designated time. People typically dislike meetings that run longer than necessary, so keeping meetings concise and on time is crucial. To achieve this, allocate approximate times for each agenda item. With practice and accountability, you'll become better at estimating how long each topic will take. By designating the time for each item, you can plan for the duration of the meeting and ensure that it stays on track. If discussions continue past the allotted time for an item, either wrap it up in the next few minutes or summarise the key points and plan to resolve the matter outside the meeting.
Tip 3 - Make it interactive
Long, one-sided presentations are a surefire way to make your team members tune out. Instead, make your meetings more interactive by incorporating activities, discussions, and team-building exercises. Making a staff meeting more interactive can be a great way to engage your team members and make the meeting more productive. For example, you might try brainstorming sessions where team members can share their ideas on a particular topic or project. You could also have small group discussions, where individuals can discuss their perspectives and insights with their colleagues. Additionally, you can use technology tools such as polling software or shared whiteboards to gather feedback or facilitate real-time collaboration. Keeping everyone engaged will make your meetings more productive and enjoyable.
Tip 4 - Encourage participation
Encouraging participation in a staff meeting might seem like an uphill battle, but with a few creative strategies, you can turn even the most passive team members into active contributors. Setting clear expectations and goals is a start, but don't stop there. Consider spicing things up with a fun icebreaker or group activity to kick off the meeting and build a positive, collaborative energy. Once everyone feels more comfortable, allow team members to share their ideas and perspectives. This could mean asking thought-provoking questions, brainstorming together, or getting feedback on specific topics. Remember, it's not enough to just ask for input, you also need to actively listen and show respect for everyone's ideas. With a little effort and a lot of positive energy, you can create a dynamic, engaging staff meeting that everyone looks forward to attending.
Tip 5 - Change it up
If your staff meetings have become dull or routine, it's time to change things up. One way to make your meetings more engaging is to change the location where you have them. Moving to a new space can help break the monotony and provide a fresh perspective. You could also consider shortening the meeting time or breaking it up into smaller segments with different activities. Encouraging staff to move around during the meeting, such as standing up or taking a short walk, can also help increase energy and engagement.
Tip 6 - Make time for fun
Even if you have some serious agenda items to discuss, there's always room for a bit of fun. With a little creativity, it's possible to make your staff meetings a fun and enjoyable experience for everyone involved. One way to do this is to inject a bit of humour into your meeting. You can start by telling a joke or sharing a funny story to help loosen everyone up. Consider including interactive activities and games that allow your team to work together and have a good time. For example, you can have a team-building exercise where everyone needs to solve a puzzle or a riddle or a brainstorming session where everyone contributes their craziest ideas. Don't be afraid to mix things up and try new things. After all, a little bit of fun can go a long way in improving morale, engagement, and productivity in your practice.
Looking for ways to boost engagement in your staff meeting?
Check out our Elevate Engagement in Your Staff Meetings checklist for ideas and strategies to improve participation and transform your meetings into collaborative experiences.
Tip 7 - End on a high note
When ending a staff meeting, aim to leave everyone feeling energised and motivated. One way to do this is to end on a positive note and do something fun or uplifting that will energise and motivate your team. You can share a success story from the team or an individual team member to celebrate their accomplishments. Another way to end on a high note is to have a quick team-building activity that leaves everyone feeling united and inspired. It could be something as simple as a quick game that encourages everyone to have a laugh. It's important to remember that the end of the meeting sets the tone for the rest of the day, so leaving everyone feeling positive and motivated can significantly impact their productivity and mindset (and they'll be more likely to look forward to the next meeting).
Staff meetings can be a great opportunity to bring your team together and foster collaboration and productivity, and they definitely don't have to be a snooze-fest. Instead of settling for a boring and uneventful meeting, try implementing these seven tips to inject some excitement into your next gathering. Keep things interactive and encourage participation with icebreakers and team-building activities. Mix things up by changing the location, duration, or format of your meeting. Stay focused on solutions and opportunities rather than dwelling on problems. And remember to end on a high note.
By following these tips, you'll create a memorable and engaging meeting experience for everyone involved. Your team will eagerly anticipate the chance to come together again, collaborate on exciting new ideas, and continue to build on the foundation of camaraderie and creativity you have established together.
Don't forget to check out our article, Finding the Fun Factor: Why You Should Inject Fun Into Your Meeting Agenda, to discover how injecting enjoyment boosts engagement, creativity, and teamwork.
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