Meetings: from dull to juicy

11 August 2016

Meetings can be great. And then there are the meetings that could use a bit of spicing up. Meetings that are so incredibly mind-numbingly dull that you could just … well, you know what I mean. These three special TED talks will give you the inspiration to do things differently.

Don’t just sit there, walk!

So often you have to choose between ‘working out’ and ‘working’. Moving around versus sitting on your backside and never the twain shall meet? Not necessarily! Attending a meeting while walking the dog? Listen to what Nilofer Merchant has to say about that.

Oh yeah, and the argument “But more people than one attend a meeting, so walking is not really an option …” is invalid. Because there are agenda items that are perfect for an ambulatory brainstorming session for two before the actual plenary session. So take a break, go for a walk, discuss and come back energized and bursting with ideas…

Forget PowerPoint, let’s dance!

PowerPoint… I often call it PauperPoint. For a number of reasons. I won’t bore you with my private frustrations, but John Bohannon raises a very relevant question during his TED talk. Do those endless PowerPoint presentation actually makes things more clear? Or are they often just a way of covering up a lack of knowledge? He shows you how ‘dance’ (yes, dance as in moving your body rhythmically to music) is a really good way of visualizing concepts and ideas. But this only works when you completely understand what you want to explain. Have a look at his fascinating talk on ‘lasers as coolers’.

Don’t accept, refuse!

Don’t even start. At least, don’t even start before you actually know what you are doing. That’s the simple message of David Grady. He once spoofed a hilarious conference call during a speech.The video became a massive YouTube hit. His short but powerful TED talk offers you three concrete questions you have to ask yourself, before you waste your valuable time in a meeting.