How to Engage People Involved in a Meeting if You’re Presiding Over It

Hosting a meeting could be challenging if you’re going to preside over it. Even if you’re the boss, you still have the responsibility of keeping the meeting engaging; otherwise, no one will participate, and you can’t achieve the goals. To make everyone feel involved, these tips will help you.

Have the right attitude

Since you’re the presiding officer, you need to possess the right characteristics. Be funny, witty, and energetic. Some people immediately lose interest the moment they step inside the meeting room. However, if you have a sunny personality, you can change how everyone feels. You know that the meeting will involve difficult decisions and tough conversations. With the right attitude, you can survive this challenge.

Choose the best venue

You have to find a relaxing venue for the meeting. If it involves potential investors, you need to have an even more special event venue. There should be a fantastic and relaxing view to avoid heated discussions. You can even do the meeting outdoors to make it more of a gathering of like-minded people than a serious meeting. You can also take group photos with a picturesque background after the meeting. Check out sites like https://www.secret-spaces.co.uk for quality options.

Make it relaxed

You control the floor and flow of the meeting. It’s up to you if you want to make things very serious or light. Between these two, choose a more relaxed atmosphere. It encourages participants to feel involved. They won’t hesitate speaking up. You can even throw in some icebreakers or games if the meeting seems to be going on for a long time.

Avoid speaking for hours

You’re not the only person in the room. You’re the presiding officer, but it doesn’t mean you’re the only one with the right to speak up. Let everyone else in the room talk and don’t judge their opinions right away. Listen to what people have to say since it could be valuable. Expect a heated discussion at some point, but it’s okay, it’s part of the conversation.

Provide snacks

The best part of attending the meeting is eating snacks. Make sure you provide the best snacks as a reward for putting up with you. Even if the discussion becomes intense, everyone will forget what happened when there’s something to eat. You might also need it since you might get stressed facilitating the entire meeting. You can even serve the snacks while the meeting is going on. Everyone will participate if they don’t feel hungry.

Hopefully, the meeting will be successful, and you meet your objectives. Learn from that experience and use it to be better at presiding over meetings in the future.

Don’t forget to talk to some people after the meeting if you believe that they felt bad during the discussion. Let everyone know that you appreciate the input and you want them to continue participating in future discussions. Better things might come out in the future if you manage to host the meeting well.