Be more engaging in meetings

Every day we have a choice of being boring or engaging. We attend meetings, create presentations and host conversations. Today make a choice to be AH-Mazing. Let’s all choose to be more engaging in our meetings, training sessions or conversations:

Be Authentic – the world wants you to be real, be human and be more of yourself. Stop trying to ‘fake it until you make it’ – show up as yourself and stop trying to be like everyone else.

Be Interesting – share stories from your observations, life and world events. Provide examples that are current and relevant to your member’s and your team’s everyday life.

Be Enthusiastic – the energy you bring to every meeting is contagious. Your audience will rise up to meet you. Use people’s names, look them in the eye and share your passion of the topic with those in the room.

Be Contextual – everyone wants to know why it matters. Share the strategic perspective first. Use metaphors and analogies when you present; they get audience attention and are memorable and repeatable. Simplify the complex with metaphors.

Be Fun – don’t tell jokes to start a speech or a meeting (the team may not know you yet). Allow people to have fun with you; self-deprecating humor is the safest and best humor to use in any situation.

Be Memorable – pay attention to your outfit, your word choices, the stories and examples you use.

Be Involved – use eye contact, encourage team members to take notes, encourage everyone to be part of the learning process and conversations.

Be Brief – don’t use 20 words if 10 will work, minimize hideously ugly over-cluttered slide deck, make your point then move– it’s that simple.

Be Inquisitive – ask questions and encourage the team to ask questions. Make every presentation a conversation, instead of a presentation. People want to contribute and share their brilliance too.

What can you do to make your Credit Union meetings more engaging and productive? Remember, we don’t have time to do everything… only time to do what matters.