Fidget Tools for Better Virtual Meetings

Show of hands – who loves virtual / zoom meetings? If we were actually in a virtual meeting right now, I am confident I would not see very many hands waving in the air (speaking of hands – we have a suggestion for those hands: fidget tools – see below). In all my years of training and facilitating, I have yet to meet someone who LOVES going to meetings, let alone, virtual meetings. Words like: long, boring, stupid, rambling, tech issues, inefficient, pointless, latecomers, dominators, egos come to mind when describing people’s feelings about meetings. What gets me is the amount of money we are all willing to toss out the window because we continue to have meetings that are not productive. What to host better virtual / zoom meetings? Read on…

Homework: Over the next week – track your meetings. Take the number of people in the meeting x an average hourly wage x the duration of the meeting. Add them all up at the end of the week. We are easily talking thousands of dollars. Are you getting that kind of return back? If so, rock on! Keep on going with your bad self. If not, I have a couple simple, easy suggestions for you.

Hosting Better Virtual Meetings: Start Today:

1. Always ask: Do I REALLY need to have a meeting on this? There are other options…
2. Please do not be that person that has a meeting that ends up going all over the place, then has another meeting to talk about the last meeting, then another meeting to make sure everyone is on the same page about the last 2 meetings, then another meeting… you get my drift. Don’t do that.
3. NEVER have a meeting without an agenda. Literally cancel the meeting if there is no agenda. Be that strict about it. I am not saying this will solve all of your problems, but it will start to give you some structure, hopefully some measurable take-aways (just knowing you covered everything you wanted to can be a good start), and it helps people be more prepared (you have to post the agenda of course).
4. Once you have done #1-#3 faithfully, move onto making sure your agenda is realistic and has measurable outcomes i.e. Who Will Do What by When: Sam will run the _______ report, email it to all of us by______ and you will email me your decision “Yes/No” by _______.
5. OUT OF THE BOX IDEA: Would you say investing $25 in each of your employees to possibly help them stay more focused in a meeting is a good investment? Some of your staff may benefit with some type of (quiet) fidget device. If you have ever clicked a ballpoint pen over and over again to the point someone reaches over and takes it out of your hand (and you had no idea you were doing it), you’ve used a fidget item. Something they can direct their extra energy to that has been proven to help with focus, energy and anxiety. AND how cool will your staff think you are when they receive a box from you/your company in the mail? Buy your staff some fidget tools and watch your virtual meetings improve!

Here are a few of our adult fidget (aka Able-to-pay-more-Attention) Fav Products:

(you don’t have to use our link, but if you do, we may receive a little something for recommending it, so thank you!)