How to supercharge your team meetings with deliberate movement

Team meetings are a double edge sword. They can either be a powerful tool to get employees to rally together, finish projects and collectively reach goals, or they can just become a vortex where time disappears, efficiency fades and creativity is dulled.

When we think about supercharging something, we often associate it with power and speed, just like an engine. Doing more, achieving bigger and going faster is definitely an instant boost but also a strategy that is not going to stand the test of time. Such a mechanical approach can only work for a while until it puts a strain on the team, its energy and morale.

One of the most effective ways to supercharge a team meeting is to inject deliberate movement into its heart and soul. Deliberate movement is the ability to strategically guide a team to move physically (external input) and inspire them so they are moved emotionally (internal connection). 

Think on your feet

Have you thought about the expression “thinking on your feet”? This technique was used by many great thinkers to help them expand their views and ideas. Now a lost art and merely a synonym for problem solving fast (speed again), thinking on our feet is done while sitting down, in a meeting room, unable to dip into the entirety of our mental resources.

The research is showing that movement activates our physical intelligence, our oldest and most crucial form of thinking. When we move we go deeper, we access more of our brain matrix, we concentrate better, we see the bigger picture, a different angle, we become more curious, we find better solutions. Even just swinging your arms can spark up significant more ideas.

Albert Einstein said it best: “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” and so we need to get moving, get out of the mechanical approach and supercharge by thinking on our feet, dip into our creativity and play at a higher energy level.

Wake up the team

When physical activity is an integral part of your meeting, you are also able to move your team emotionally and switch them on. Movement done deliberately and with intention promotes focus, connection to the moment and the team is then invested in what is discussed, giving it full attention and feeling of being part of something greater. Together, they are actively contributing to the development and productivity of your business. 

Time to supercharge

Here are three tips to help you supercharge your team meeting:

1. Prime the team. Get ready for your meeting and make sure everyone is starting with a clean slate. Leave previous conversations, issues and topics discussed in other meetings at the proverbial door to create deliberate focus. It’s about abandoning multitasking and give “the one thing” on the agenda our full attention. The best way to prime the team is to make them step out of their body state and move. Walk around the room or just look out the window, swing their arm, do a few jumps, wall push-ups, pay attention to their breathing, the possibilities are endless. Be creative and add some fun.
2. Move during the meeting. Get out of the chair and conduct your meeting standing up. Have everyone use the white board and markers, handwriting is movement too and it helps consolidate ideas. Scribble, draw your strategies, describe a thought with colour, take notes in a pad. And if you’re stuck, out of the chair again and just stand, walk a bit, breathe, repeat. 
3. Introduce variety. Take the meeting outdoors and literally think on your feet. Your conversations will be deeper, more thoughtful and have a different flavour. Stimuli around you will also move you inside. Variety could be getting someone else to run your meeting, change room, go to a coffee shop.

Deliberate movement stems from roots deep inside all of us creating unity across your team in a way that is meaningful and long lasting. Finishing your supercharged meeting with the same deliberate intention and focus you started with, will plant the seed for a successful future. Ask yourself: Apart from assigning tasks, what lessons and feeling do I want my team to leave the meeting with? Internal movement will promote anticipation, giving your team a springboard to think forward to the possibilities and keep motivated to do and be their best.

Written by Brett Lillie.

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