This week, Mashable shared a post that discussed the recent trend of people walking while they conduct meetings. The post references several executives and high-ranking officials — President Obama, the CEO of the Priceline Group, Mark Zuckerberg and others — who have been known to switch things up and take their meetings outside on occasion.
Mashable suggests that the trend can be attributed to “executives trying to get a little bit removed from their overly plugged-in desks” and the lack of privacy in open-space offices (another growing trend).
The anecdotes in the post show several reasons that it can be beneficial to walk during meetings. Here are a few of our favorites:
- It gets the creative juices flowing. Sometimes a change of scenery is the perfect solution to a mental block.
- It shifts power dynamics, making participants more equal. When you sit across from someone at a desk or conference table, there are definitely certain power dynamics at play. When you walk side-by-side it helps put you and the other person(s) on a more level playing field.
- It allows for frank conversations. Being out of the office often makes people more comfortable, especially because they aren’t afraid that they will be overheard by co-workers.
BONUS: There was even a TED talk about the subject of walking meetings!
How do you feel about this trend? Do you or your office employ any non-traditional meting practices?
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