Hugh at Gaping Void issued a challenge to his readers to write a manifesto on something near and dear to their hearts—and to keep it under 500 words. Since I've done a fair amount of thinking about what I think makes meetings meaningful (both
what to do and
what not to do), I boiled it down to this.
- Here are some ways we can change the world, one meeting at a time:
1. Provide access to big, relevant brains. It doesn’t matter if they’re the keynote speakers, session leaders, or other attendees--invite people who understand where participants are coming from, and where they can go.
2. Provide content that will wake up and shake up attendees. Take them out of their comfort zone and into the realm of possibility.
3. Show, don’t tell. Better yet, shoot your PowerPoint projector and let attendees take an idea for a test drive.
4. Surprise and delight attendees. Make it fun, make it interactive. Toys are cool, too.
5. Ignite their passion and touch their emotions.
6. Provide opportunities for meaningful conversations, not just business card exchanges.
7. Provide takeaways, and follow up to see how people are using what they learned.
8. Blow something up—whether it’s the usual lecture format or a leading misconception, dynamite something to make way for something new.
9. Content may be king, but presentation counts: Don’t make people sit in the dark, peering at too-small graphics on a big screen.
10. Ban jargon-heavy, acronym-laden speeches. Use ordinary, understandable language.
11. Give them time to absorb what they learned.
12. Deliver on your promises.
13. Know your audience. Trust your audience. Treat your audience with respect.
14. Meet people where they live, then show them how they can discover the knowledge and tools they need to spruce up the neighborhood.
Am I missing any major points here?