“After an hour or so I start to see the signs. People start to fidget, they seem uncomfortable, and they lose concentration. We take frequent Breaks and use Movement in our meetings as well, but I’d like to learn another alternative for getting active people to sit still enough to listen and participate for extended periods of time.”

17. Toys

What Is Toys?

The use of Toys is another technique designed to keep people focused and attentive for long periods of time.

“Sit still and pay attention!” Many of us learned this strict rule of behavior as children, but it Continue reading →

“What other techniques can I use to keep people alert and involved in our meetings?”

16. Movement

What Is Movement?

Movement is another technique designed to keep energy high and attention focused. Any purposeful Movement can reenergize your group while at the same time supporting your meeting objectives.

When to Use Movement

•  When your meetings last more than a few hours
•  When you want to encourage participants to talk with new people
•  When you anticipate that the group’s energy level will deteriorate, such as after lunch
•  When the group appears to be physically uncomfortable

How to Continue reading →

My last three blogs described techniques to improve the clarity of communication.  My next three blogs will describe techniques to stimulate and maintain high energy.  Today I’ll describe Technique #15: Breaks.

“We seem to run out of steam long before our work has been completed. Do you have any ideas?”

15. BREAKS

What Are BREAKS?

BREAKS are designed to support high energy and focus throughout your meeting.

Meetings are notorious for pushing on too long. The energy level of the group decreases as the meeting progresses, and concentration and creativity suffer as a result. This problem is Continue reading →

“Sometimes critical information isn’t understood in our meetings as clearly as I would like. Important points seem to get lost because they are either complicated, dull, or both. What alternatives do we have to get key points across?”

14. ANALOGIES AND METAPHORS

What Are ANALOGIES AND METAPHORS?

The ANALOGIES AND METAPHORS technique helps your meeting participants focus and crystalize their thinking and understanding of an issue. It can also be used to emphasize key points of a topic under discussion. This technique is especially applicable for information that is difficult to understand or explain in simple terms. ANALOGIES AND METAPHORS Continue reading →

“My participants sometimes seem to get bogged down in their own logic. This inhibits their creativity and negatively impacts the energy of the group. I am looking for a way to get people to think more creatively so we can develop a deeper understanding of an issue. Is there a technique that will help us see things through different eyes?”

13. ART

What Is ART?

ART is a technique for helping your meeting participants think and express themselves differently.

When people articulate their thoughts in atypical ways, they tend to produce a broader spectrum of information. And sometimes the most Continue reading →

 “It seems as if conversations at our meetings always go around in circles. We talk about different aspects of the same question all at the same time. Is there a specific technique we can use that will give us some structure and control over this?”

9. SHREDDED QUESTIONS

What Are SHREDDED QUESTIONS?

The SHREDDED QUESTIONS technique outlines an orderly process for addressing a specific meeting issue or agenda item. This technique ensures that every appropriate facet or element of the specific issue under discussion will be examined thoroughly and efficiently.

Generally, the facets of meeting issues include:

• Facts and Continue reading →