SQLServerCentral / Editorials / SQLServerCentral.com / Make Meetings Fun / Latest Posts

RE: Make Meetings Fun

Mike B in AK — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 10:31:33 GMT

I agree with Jeff on the status meetings. They should be brief and to the point. For longer meetings, it depends on the topic(s). Long planning meetings where the topic does not, or barely changes, are murder. Frequent get up off your butt moments are a must. Also, make sure to involve the entire group, either by requesting viewpoints or even rotating the lead in the meeting. For a long meeting with a variety of topics, vary the order of the speakers and subject matter. In either case for long meetings, I like to inject items to completely change the focus. Something in the team building or just entertaining realm. I find this frees folks from stupor. It also does a reset on the thinking patterns and can often lead to a more robust result.

RE: Make Meetings Fun

Revenant — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 14:31:48 GMT

[quote][b]Ralph Hightower (3/26/2012)[/b][hr]A music suggestion for a Friday meeting:Loverboy "Working for the Weekend: [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zL8G5pBZ5CI[/url]. . .[/quote]That is a good one!

RE: Make Meetings Fun

Ivanova — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 13:40:17 GMT

I like the idea of music - way less fattening than pastries :-P

RE: Make Meetings Fun

rmechaber — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 06:42:48 GMT

I put my hands up in the air sometimesSaying Ayyyyy-OhToo much I/O.I gotta troubleshoot this query now:Lines of code areFull of RBAR.With apologies to Taio Cruz....Rich

RE: Make Meetings Fun

Ralph Hightower — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 06:17:12 GMT

A music suggestion for a Friday meeting:Loverboy "Working for the Weekend: [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zL8G5pBZ5CI[/url]I also agree with Jeff on keeping the meeting "on point and on topic".

RE: Make Meetings Fun

Michael Lysons — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 01:52:50 GMT

[quote][b]Jeff Moden (3/25/2012)[/b][hr][quote]I’m curious what things you do to make meetings fun, to make the long march more tolerable?[/quote]You've correctly identified the problem with most meetings that I've seen. They're "long marches". If you want to make a meeting "fun", make sure it's well controlled. Keep people "on the point". Make "status" meetings more like "scrums". "What did you do yesterday? What are you doing today? Have you run into any showstoppers or things that will cause a delay and what are they? Who can you talk to to change that? NEXT!"Side conversations and long winded discussions on possible solutions should not be included in status meetings. Those should be separate because not everyone has a stake in such detail.People are busy. Make daily status meetings short and sweet and they'll be "fun" automatically.[/quote]Best thing you've written.

RE: Make Meetings Fun

Jeff Moden — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 10:16:45 GMT

[quote]I’m curious what things you do to make meetings fun, to make the long march more tolerable?[/quote]You've correctly identified the problem with most meetings that I've seen. They're "long marches". If you want to make a meeting "fun", make sure it's well controlled. Keep people "on the point". Make "status" meetings more like "scrums". "What did you do yesterday? What are you doing today? Have you run into any showstoppers or things that will cause a delay and what are they? Who can you talk to to change that? NEXT!"Side conversations and long winded discussions on possible solutions should not be included in status meetings. Those should be separate because not everyone has a stake in such detail.People are busy. Make daily status meetings short and sweet and they'll be "fun" automatically.

Make Meetings Fun

Andy Warren — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 06:39:06 GMT

Comments posted to this topic are about the item [B]Make Meetings Fun[/B]