Usually the idea of a business meeting conjures up images of people in suites sitting in giant leather chairs around a boardroom table. As our society becomes more health conscious and aware of the dangers of sitting for extended periods of time, several trends have become increasingly popular to combat this inactivity. One such trend is the practice of a “Walking Meeting”. While not a new concept by any means, even having been practiced by Aristotle as he taught his students in Ancient Greece, it is becoming a more common occurrence to be asked to participate in a walking meeting. Here are a couple reasons why you should consider making walking meetings an addition to your business.
Walking Meetings Provide Exercise & Fresh Air
Walking meetings are a great way to live a healthier life. The added steps and activity while at the time may seem negligible, over the course of a couple months or years can add up to large gains in health and help prevent weight gain and aid in cardiovascular health. All while taking care of business! In addition getting outside means fresh air to help clear your head and sun exposure which aides in your body’s ability to create vitamin D. This extra boost that you may not normally get from being cooped up in the office all day can really help with overall alertness and mental sharpness.
No Clocks & Distractions During Walking Meetings
What is great about a walking meeting is the ability to focus on the task at hand without distraction. Generally, the physical activity helps cut through rigidity and the hierarchical barriers of employees and their superiors allowing for free discussion and greater creativity. It’s for the same reason so many businessmen conduct business deals on the Golf Course. The somewhat informal environment gives you the ability to connect on ideas and concepts outside of a stuffy meeting table. As an added benefit you can almost be assured nobody will be able to interrupt you while you are out and about.
Finish Meetings On Time
Having a pre-planned route with an idea of how long the walk takes can help you plan your meeting time. Often meetings will run over and waste peoples time unnecessarily. You’ll easily be able to gauge how much longer you have to discuss your business and get to point of the conversation as you approach your final destination. This very physical constraint on the length of the meeting will help you to be more efficient and can actually turn into increased profitability.
One of the most famous CEO’s in recent memory who was known for taking advantage of walking meetings was Steve Jobs. Many have mentioned that this was his preferred method of meeting one on one with people. While not the only factor to his success, based on the benefits discussed above, these surely made up one piece that led him to greatness. It could be said that this makes walking meetings an essential step in your growth to better productivity and overall health.
