21 Out of the Box Meeting Ideas Staff will Love

No matter the environment, whether it’s at work, in the classroom, within the realm of sports or any other extracurricular activity, team meetings are an essential part of a group’s success. But if leaders don’t keep regular meetings fresh with out of the box ideas, those obligatory gatherings can begin to feel like a waste of time. Even worse, it can lead to a disengaged group with poor communication skills.

Running successful team meetings

When team meetings are effective, the benefits take good teams to the greatest levels!  Benefits of regular team meetings include: – Cultivating new ideas makes for a more creative team – Building stronger relationships – Increased critical thinking and problem-solving skills – Boosts productivity – Encourages participation and inclusion – Increases employee satisfaction and engagement – Greater sense of team spirit and camaraderie

The benefits of team meetings

The best way to start using out of the box meeting ideas

The first thing is to determine which out of the box meeting ideas will serve your team well.  Pick a few different ideas from our list and incorporate them into your regular meetings.  Select activities that are different enough to keep it fresh.

It is also a good idea to check in with your team members after each meeting using a brief two or three question survey to assess their level of satisfaction with the meeting.  Ask what was effective, what they enjoyed and what didn’t work or didn’t feel like a good use of time.

Out of the Box Meeting Ideas

Use these following 21 out of the box team meeting ideas for your team’s current projects or infuse them into your regular meetings to enhance the group’s professional development.

Skill Swap

Have fun with team-building activities by connecting on a personal level. Each team member gets 10-15 minutes of agenda time to showcase a particular skill they would like to share.  This can be something work related or something a bit more personal.  From helpful shortcuts in Excel to learning how to greet someone in a foreign language, this fun experience promotes social interaction, team building and fosters a growth mindset. Plus it’s a great way to learn different skills!

Appreciation Opener

Most people like to be thanked for their hard work or a job well done.  Begin each meeting by recognizing a team member for their accomplishments or contributions to the group.  Pick a different team member to highlight for each meeting.

Two Truths and a Lie

Some ice breakers can feel like a chore, but this is a fun way for team members to get to know each other and have a few laughs at the same time.  In this simple game, each team member shares two truths about themselves along with one clever lie.  The rest of the group must turn detective and figure out which statement is false.

Office Ted Talks

This is a great way to boost the confidence and public speaking skills of your team.  Have each team member prepare a 5-minute talk on a topic of their choice.  Topics can range from anything from the history of their favorite sports team or how they became interested in their main hobby to the best places to eat locally.  This showcases the diversity of your team while creating an engaging way to build better public speaking skills.

Get the the full list of 21 Out of the Box Meeting Ideas here!