by Russell Clayton, Chris Thomas, and Jack Smothers as written on hbr.org.
Fran Melmed is the founder of context, a communication and change management consulting firm. She spends her days performing communication audits for organizations and meeting with clients. Sounds like a recipe for a sedentary workday, right? On the contrary. Fran is part of a growing trend known as walking meetings or “walk and talk.”
A walking meeting is simply that: a meeting that takes place during a walk instead of in an office, boardroom, or coffee shop where meetings are commonly held. Nilofer Merchant wrote in HBR about her own transition to walking meetings after realizing that, like many Americans, she was sitting way too much while working. Merchant traded her coffee-shop meetings for walking meetings and immediately saw the benefits. Likewise, Melmed finds that merely holding some of her meetings while walking has given her the necessary “unplugging” time she needs in order to be an effective writer.
Recent research finds that the act of walking leads to increases in creative thinking. This certainly supports the usefulness of walking meetings. Plenty of anecdotal evidence also suggests that walking meetings lead to more honest exchanges with employees and are more productive than traditional sit-down meetings.
Based on this, we undertook an exploratory study of the benefits associated with walking. We surveyed a population of approximately 150 working adults in the U.S. to gather input about their walking meeting and work habits. In short, we find that those who participate in walking meetings are 5.25% more likely to report being creative at their jobs than those who do not. Additionally, the responses suggest that walking meetings support cognitive engagement, or focus, on the job. Those who participate in walking meetings are 8.5% more likely to report high levels of engagement.
What we found adds support to the notion of walking meetings being beneficial for workers. Is an increase in creativity of 5.25% likely to make or break a business? Most likely not. However, look at these findings through the lens of a cost-benefit analysis. The costs associated with regularly participating in walking meetings are next to nil. Keep in mind that walking meetings are not breaks from work. They are meetings that would have taken place regardless of whether they were held in someone’s office or while walking around your office complex. There may be no cheaper way to achieve moderate increases in creativity and engagement.
Just how do walking meetings produce these positive benefits in the workplace? Ted Eytan, MD, Medical Director of the Kaiser Permanente Center for Total Health and a vocal advocate of walking meetings, has some ideas. First, from a neurochemical perspective, Dr. Eytan emphasizes that our brains are more relaxed during walks due to the release of certain chemicals. This aids executive function, which governs how we focus on tasks and deal with unforeseen events, among other things. Open-ended responses to our survey seemed to back this up by referring to moments of creativity sparked by walking meetings.
Furthermore, Dr. Eytan believes walking meetings lead to better employee engagement by breaking down barriers between supervisor and subordinate or between coworkers. He sees the bonding achieved through walking meetings as a micro version of the bonding that can be experienced when coworkers travel together on business trips. David Haimes, a senior director of product development at Oracle, has experienced this in his meetings with team members: “The fact that we are walking side-by-side means the conversation is more peer-to-peer than when I am in my office and they are across a desk from me, which reinforces the organizational hierarchy.”
To be sure, not all meetings are suitable for walking meetings (and not everyone is physically able to participate in walking meetings). Sometimes it is valuable to have materials or a whiteboard close at hand, and sometimes, as in an intense negotiation, it is important to be face-to-face. The best candidates for walking meetings are ones where colleagues are conferring on decisions or exploring possible solutions. Indeed, in our survey, participants holding managerial and professional positions experienced more of a creativity boost from walking meetings than those in technical or administrative type jobs (though all categories realized some benefits).
If you are inspired to give walking meetings a try, here are a few tips that can help your walking meeting go well:
Consider including an “extracurricular” destination on your route. Dr. Eytan, whose office is located in Washington, D.C., often mentions the nearby Washington Coliseum as a place to stroll by, and notes it is where the Beatles played their first U.S. concert. Naming a point of interest, he says, provides more rationale and incentive for others to go for a walk.
Avoid making the destination a source of unneeded calories. One of the arguments in favor of walking meetings is the health benefit. However, this is easily negated if the walking meeting leads to a 425-calorie white-chocolate mocha that wouldn’t otherwise be consumed.
Do not surprise colleagues or clients with walking meetings. It’s fine to suggest a walk if it seems appropriate in the moment, as long as it’s clear that you’ll be fine with a “maybe next time.” But if you’re planning ahead to spend your time with someone in a walking meeting, have the courtesy to notify them in advance, too. This allows them to arrive dressed for comfort, perhaps having changed shoes. You might also keep water bottles on hand to offer on warm days.
Stick to small groups. Haimes recommends a maximum of three people for a walking meeting.
Have fun. Enjoy the experience of combining work with a bit of exercise and fresh air. Perhaps this is the one piece of advice that doesn’t need to be given. Our data show that those who participate in walking meetings are more satisfied at their jobs than their colleagues who don’t.
Based on our survey and the clear case to be made for walking in general as a key to good health, there would seem to be no good argument against making a habit of walking meetings — or at least giving it a try.
Russell Clayton is an assistant professor of management at Saint Leo University’s Donald R. Tapia School of Business. Follow him on Twitter @ProfessorRWC.
Chris Thomas is an assistant professor of management at Saint Louis University’s John Cook School of Business.
Jack Smothers is an assistant professor of management at the University of Southern Indiana’s Romain College of Business.
See how to add contacts to your Skype for Business Contacts list so they’ll be a click away. Every contact you add is assigned membership in one or more of your contact groups. You define your own contact groups to add contacts to—like My Team, Lunch Bunch, or Data Analysis Project.
Managed Solution is hosting Roadshow events to demo the new features in Windows 10 and show customers the latest products that connect your people, processes, devices, and data securely across your company enabling you to stay ahead in today’s mobile world.
At the forefront of these business profitability products is Windows 10, organizations will use the end-user-enhancements in Windows 10 across Office 365 & Skype for Business to drive revenue.
Great Turnout Today for our OC Windows 10 Mixer and Roadshow
Managed Solution is hosting Roadshow events to demo the new features in Windows 10 and show customers the latest products that connect your people, processes, devices, and data securely across your company enabling you to stay ahead in today’s mobile world.
At the forefront of these business profitability products is Windows 10, experts will demonstrate how savvy organizations will use the end-user-enhancements in Windows 10 across Office 365 & Skype for Business to drive revenue.
Sir Ken Robinson gave the most popular TED Talk of all time.
While there is no question that what you say matters, studies suggest the words you use make up just 7% of the impact you have.
The remaining 93% is split between your body language and tone.
That's why it's imperative to master the nonverbal cues you send. And since a presenter has only about 60 seconds to hook the audience, it's important to get them right from the start.
We spoke with Darlene Price, president of Well Said, Inc., and author of "Well Said!," about mastering the art of nonverbal communication. Scroll down to see her tips.
Oftentimes, we have no idea what our faces are communicating. "Because our facial expressions are closely tied to emotion, they are often involuntary and unconscious," Price says.
Letting our emotions get the best of us can negatively affect the impression we give, whether it's a presentation or a one-on-one conversation. To avoid a misunderstanding, hold a slight smile, nod occasionally, and make sure you show interest, she advises.
Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.
"Make sure 'business casual' is not 'business careless,'" Price says.
Professional attire, such as suits or jackets, should be worn to important meetings and presentations, especially with senior leaders and customers, she says. It's also important to avoid showy accessories, busy patterns, and tight or revealing garments.
Concentrate on the tone of your voice.
Price cites the common phrase: "It's not what you said; it's how you said it." If someone has ever said this to you, they are referring to your paralanguage, or tone, she says.
"Separate from the actual words used, these nonverbal elements of your voice include voice tone, pacing, pausing, volume, inflection, pitch, and articulation," Price says. Recording a few of your conversations can be a good way to identify the emotions your tone communicates, she says.
Offer your full attention, and avoid multitasking.
In an increasingly digital age, constantly checking your phone or emails may seem discrete and standard, but it should be avoided. Multitasking can often be "perceived as disinterest or disrespect," Price says.
Offering your full attention means using open body language, which includes uncrossed arms and legs, squared shoulders, and portraying clear engagement in the conversation, she says.
Maintain strong eye contact for more than a brief second.
The importance of maintaining eye contact can't be overstated.
Simply glancing at members of the audience is known as the "eye-dart," Price says, and it "conveys insecurity, anxiety, or evasion." The key is to maintain direct eye contact for at least two seconds before moving to the next person, she says.
Discover how Intermountain Healthcare uses Skype for Business to connect patients with their physicians
Patients can now have face to face conversations with physicians when they normally would not be able to. The power of Skype allows patients to connect from the comfort of their home without having to make an office or hospital visit.
The new Skype Developer Platform provides opportunities to customize and extend the capabilities not only with Skype for Business but also through Skype. Developers don't have to think anymore in "silos" for business and allows for more consumer customization opportunities. Find in-depth developer resources, how-to documentation, SDKs and references, and code samples for Skype developer platform verticals. Learn more
Don't miss the opportunity to preview Skype Meeting Broadcast! Register for the chance to join the Preview program here!
Skype for Business Preview
The Preview program provides you early access to new Skype for Business features. It enables your organization to get a sneak peek at what’s coming and to test out the new features in your own environment and give feedback before we release to the general public!
As the name implies, the features in Preview are not yet final so they would like you to try them out and provide feedback to help identify any possible bugs.
It’s an exciting time for Skype for Business as they deliver communication-powered productivity in Office. In the last few months, they've delivered the Skype for Business client for Windows, the new Skype for Business Server, and Skype for Business Online in Office 365. And just last week, they announced previews of new meetings and voice capabilities in Office 365 through the Skype for Business Preview Program.
Today they announced the availability of the Skype for Business app for Windows Phone.
What’s new - intuitive interface, more emoticons, improved server communications
If you are familiar with the Lync app for Windows Phone, you’ll notice a number of enhancements in the new app. The most noticeable differences right off the bat are the Skype for Business brand and UI, which is intuitive and familiar if you happen to use Skype in your personal communications. They've also revamped emoticons, which now offers over 100 emoticons to land your message visually.
They have improved how the app and the server handle conversation notifications. Once you’re notified of a new conversation on your phone, the other clients you have logged in won’t be able to grab the conversation and prevent you from responding on your phone.
They have also enhanced security with at-rest data encryption, so your conversation history and voicemail is encrypted by default.
And your most recent conversations are now synchronized across devices whether they took place on your PC, tablet or phone, as long as you’re running the latest server software. We’re working hard to enable that for Office 365 users as well, so stay tuned for more news to come.
How you can upgrade today
Most people who have the Lync 2013 app on their Windows Phone will be automatically updated to the new Skype for Business app, but here are the particulars depending on which version of Windows Phone you use:
If you have a Windows Phone 8.1 and higher but do not have the Lync 2013 app, you can download the new Skype for Business app in the Windows Store.
If you have Windows Phone 8.1 and higher and currently have the Lync 2013 mobile app, the new Skype for Business app will replace your existing app and tile automatically.
If you have Windows Phone 8.0, you will continue to use Lync 2013 or Lync 2010, which remains compatible even if your organization is running the new Skype for Business Server.
Posted by Skype for Business Team, on July 6, 2015
