Why you should have your meetings on the move
I had my first ‘official’ walking meeting earlier this year and absolutely loved it. I was joined by Craig and Marc Kielburger, my fellow WEconomy co-authors, to chat about our book and how we can all put purpose into everything we do.
At Virgin Management, we have planned out some routes near our Battleship Office in Paddington so that you can take in some lovely views around Little Venice while catching up with colleagues. All the routes take 30 minutes and having a planned route means no one has to get distracted checking directions.
So glad we got out and stretched our legs – I definitely felt more motivated than if I sat still all day. It can be really easy to sit at your desk and only move to a different room somewhere else in the building - this isn’t great for our wellbeing, posture or mental health.
We’ve also all been competing in the Virgin Pulse Global Challenge recently – and doing meetings on the move definitely helps you rack up more steps. All those steps really add up if you take the stairs, do a meeting on the move and go over and speak to people instead of emailing. Some days I found myself doing 10,000 steps just by doing these simple things – any exercise was then a bonus!
For me, walking meetings make more sense when there is only two or three of you in a meeting – any more and it can be harder to keep up with the conversation or know where to direct your comments. I also think you get a more personal connection during a meeting when you take away the screens and laptops.
My dad’s also instilled into me the importance of note-taking - our house was filled with his to-do lists when we were growing up. After my walking meeting with the Kielburgers, I made sure I jotted down what we said and what I need to follow up on (for example – writing this blog).
Do you have any tips for meetings on the move?