Engaging Virtual Meetings

7Openers

Openers are pivotal. Starting a meeting with an effective opener (or an opening game/activity) allows every attendee to feel welcomed and engaged right from the start of the meeting. If the host uses the same kind of opener at the beginning of every meeting, a sense of rhythm and routine is created. Rhythm and routine lead to stability and comfort, which improves team dynamics in the long run.

“Go slow to go fast” is a good mantra for openers. To set your expectations as a meeting host, you should expect to spend more time on creating openers the first time you use them. You'll find that, with practice, you can create openers that take less time, allowing your team to knock out an opener and get to work quickly. Most of all, you'll find that taking time to add openers to your meetings will eventually make your meetings more productive.

Why Use Openers?

The purpose of an opener is to make sure everyone is focused on the meeting and not their email, text messages, or social media.

Michelle Cummings, owner of Training Wheels and a proponent of using openers, says that openers are crucial because there must be connection before content.

Think back to when you were in grade school. Whenever a teacher would say, “Find a partner,” who would you immediately want to partner with? Your best friend, of course! One of the main reasons for this is because your best friend usually falls into the category of your comfort zone. When you feel comfortable with someone, you can ...