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One of the meeting professional's biggest challenges is designing an event that covers all the information in an interesting manner, stimulates discussion, promotes new ideas, meets attendees' physical needs (comfortable chairs, pleasant room temperature), and doesn't require a lot of work or expense.
Often the best way to reach these goals is to try something new and innovative, especially if you fear your meeting sessions are becoming boring or stodgy. If attendees are regularly leaving sessions early, or if meeting attendance decreases each year, you'll know it's time for a change.
Also, be willing to experiment. Involve some attendees in planning the meeting and sessions. You will be pleased with the results that just a couple of changes can make.
Here are ways to get participants more engaged in the meeting:
Room Set Up
Many meeting professionals overlook how significant room set up is to the success of an event. For example, if your objective is to get people talking about challenges and solutions, and to meet people who might be good business contacts, don't set up the session theater style seating. If your CEO's opening remarks are going to emphasize teamwork and cooperation, then set the room to encourage this.
-No Theater-Style. Even in a large general session never use theater style, straight across seating with an aisle down the middle. A crescent, or semi- circle is preferable, with three sections (two aisles, not one). This allows attendees to easily see one another. It also makes for an inclusive meeting, not an exclusive lecture, where attendees feel they are being talked "to." Even if the presenter is lecturing, it feels more inclusive.
-Avoid Middle Aisles. Try to stay away from placing aisles down the middle of a room. The presenter then seems to be speaking to empty space--the aisle--instead of the audience. It may seem subtle, but it creates a different ambiance for the speaker and audience.
-Mini-Rows. Use shorter rows, even if that means you have to have five aisles rather than three. As a general rule don't make any attendee climb over more than four people to find a seat. This means rows should have no more than seven seats.
Shorter rows also eliminate the common meeting problem where seats along the aisles are full, but numerous seats in the middle remain empty. Longer rows force latecomers to sit toward the back in the room. Usually the further back attendees are, the less engaged they are with the presenter.
-Unlink Chairs. Be sure to unlink chairs and turn each chair so it faces the center of the stage. This way audience members don't have to turn their head or bodies to face the speaker. If their body is uncomfortable, their attention will wane much quicker.
These set up ideas are different from what many properties are used to. Diagram what you want for each meeting room and give the diagrams to the facility. However, sometimes even pictures and instructions don't do the trick, so be present when crews set up the first room. This way you won't have to explain your requests more than once. (By the way, an expert on designing effective room environments is Dr. Paul Radde from Thriving Presentations in Ft. Washington, MD. Call him for consulting on this matter.)
Keeping Attendees' Attention
-Small Groups. Make sure there is time for focused, small group discussion. For example, you might have assigned seating for a luncheon, so people who don't normally hang out together can meet new people. Also, at each table, consider having a host lead a discussion on an industry topic, a common challenge, share the best idea they've tried this year, or any other question that you think they'd like to discuss.
-Extra Time for Breaks. Always give attendees enough time between sessions to take care of not only their physical needs, but also their mental ones too. Sometimes the most important meetings are the impromptu ones going on in the halls between sessions. Allow at least a 15-minute break for every 75-90 minutes of meeting. If your group is a large one, consider half-hour breaks.
-Idea Exchange. For an occasional focused energizer (this is great for the "mid-afternoon blahs"), do a quick five-minute "Idea Exchange" where attendees talk to five people for 60 seconds each and swap an interesting or idea they've heard at the meeting.
-Take Action. At the end of sessions, focus on "what are you going to do to implement what you've learned." Ask attendees to write down their "action ideas" 3-by-5-inch cards, on a to-do list, or just share them with a fellow attendee.
-Alive & Kicking. If attendees have just sat through a rather boring presenter, get them up and moving, even if it's just a 60-second stand up and stretch break before the next presenter. Consider playing upbeat music during this time.
Copyright 1995 Morgan Seminar Group
Rebecca L. Morgan, CSP, is a dynamic speaker and seminarist. She is the author of four books, "TurboTime: Maximizing Your Results Through Technology," "Calming Upset Customers," "LifeÕs Lessons: Insights and Information for a Richer Life," and "Professional Selling." For information on her speaking services, books, and tapes contact her at 1440 Newport Ave., San Jose, CA 95125, 408/998-7977, 800/247-9662, fax: 408/998-1742, rebecca@RebeccaMorgan.com, www.RebeccaMorgan.com. Please contact Rebecca for permission to reprint or repost this item.
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