Company meetings are make-it or break-it for most managers. Too many meetings and the message is lost. Too few and your team doesn’t know how to find its footing. So how can you improve meetings and make them just right for your company? Rather than treating a meeting like a necessary evil think of it as your most important performance. Learn how to engage your audience and make your message count. Here are 6 tips to help you create both fun and productive meetings.

1. Set the tone. Like a good motivational speaker or comedian the key is to start strong. Engage your audience from the very beginning. Your attitude should also reflect that of the meeting itself. Remain upbeat and engaged and you will set the tone for the entire meeting and your staff.
2. Focus on connections. Don’t give your staff an agenda. Don’t allow them to constantly follow along on the paper in front of them. While you can use an agenda to organize your thoughts, focus on making connections with your team. Make eye contact throughout the room.
3. Address the bigger picture. While there may be minutia that needs to be discussed don’t forget to include the bigger picture. You want to continue to reinforce the long term goals of the company. What are you working toward? What will get the most people engaged in the work?
4. Provide recognition. Spend some time recognizing your team for their efforts. Feel free to single out star players. This will give everyone an opportunity to work toward recognition in future meetings.
5. Create action items. Everyone needs to leave the meeting with a purpose. There should be action items that your company as a whole needs to focus on as well as individual goals. Get your staff fired up about their piece of the puzzle so they are enthusiastic about their work.
6. Close big. Start like you ended; focus on the things you want your team to remember most. Close big, get them excited, and send them off to concentrate on the ways they can continue to engage with their jobs and your company.

Do you want to know more ways to improve meetings in your office? The staff at VincentBenjamin can help! We have recruiting offices located in Phoenix, Denver, Los Angeles and Orange County.