Sitting in conference rooms is mind-numbing.

Have you ever participated in a walking meeting?

Over the last three months, I attended a handful of these walking meetings with clients and prospects. Here is what I love about this approach to connecting.

• Movement – when you move, ideas and thoughts get motion and energy. You can take a simple idea and play with it while you walk around the block. Ideas aren’t static – they are dynamic. Why not ignite and explore them? My last walking meeting opened up an unexpected avenue and approach that came by taking a fresh step in a different direction.

• Focus – let’s face it, most people find it hard to concentrate in a meeting because they have a million things to do and they want to keep checking their phones. A walk is like permission to get away from the grind while you stretch your legs and your thinking at the same time. Even with all the distractions of the outdoors, somehow we are more focused on our thinking.

• Stimulation – when the blood is rushing through your veins, and your heart is racing; you feel the life force pumping. You know how you feel after exercising, why not bring some of that adrenaline to the middle of the day? Walking and talking somehow focuses the mind whereas walking and sitting can lull you into sleep. Light a spark through a talk and walk meeting.

Walk With Me

I find that walking meetings enhance candor and casual engagement with colleagues. Since most business people sit almost eight hours a day, even a fifteen-minute stroll with a work friend can help reinvigorate your attitude. A walking meeting can break down the formality of a conference room and allow for a more honest exchange of ideas.

Next time you have a meeting scheduled with one or two people, see if you can convince them to take it out to a park where you can walk and talk. Don’t worry about taking notes; think about the meeting as an opportunity to see a challenge or a situation with a breath of fresh air. Make sure you let your co-workers know that the meeting involves a walk in case they want to wear their sneakers.

Care to take a walk and talk?

You can set up a time to chat with me about your marketing challenges using my calendar. Email me jeffslater@themarketingsage.com  Call me. 919 720 0995.  The conversation is free, and we can explore if working together makes sense. Try my new chat feature on my site if you have a quick question.

Photo by Morvanic Lee on Unsplash