Most conference meetings can be compared to my 8:00 A.M. classes…boring, uneventful and an opportune time for a little cat nap. But that’s not the case anymore! Many small businesses are encouraging interaction during these meetings in order to get more bang for their buck.
Heather Logrippo, owner and publisher of “Distinctive Homes,” a monthly magazine in Boston, handed out construction paper and crayons to her employees and told them to draw their ideas for an incentive program with those resources. I’ve noticed through my Resident Assistant job that adults love to revert back to childhood activities, so this was brilliant! Dixon Schwabl Advertising Inc., in Rochester, N.Y. had a similar strategy, but instead of crayons and paper, he used the always fun, watergun. Every employee was required to bring theirs to the meetings and use without repercussion on anyone who uttered a negative comment. Needless to say, a positive atmosphere was the outcome.
Hitting a little closer to home was an idea from Angela Bagby, director of marketing and client relations for Russell Construction Co. in Davenport, IA. Bagby introduced a new device that calculated just how much money the company was spending by the employees attending the meeting. Their initial 90-minute meeting cost the company $5,000! This new appreciation for time well spent definitely made employees interact more and keep their focus.
For more ideas on how to spice up your conference meetings, visit The Wall Street Journal online.
