Capturing the enthusiasm of your project team is vital, and one way you can do this is by really bringing your project management meetings to life.
When it comes to that all-important first project management meeting, whether you are conducting your first-ever project kick-off meeting or are an old hand, it is vital to grab the attention of your team. You want to make sure that everyone is on board and excited about the project from the beginning so that you have a team of focused individuals who are motivated to achieve the end result required by the project.
Set the scene
Sell the client to your team; you need to awaken their enthusiasm for working for the client and the project. Visuals are about more than things you can see on a screen; being able to paint an image of the project ahead is a vital tool that every project manager should have in their arsenal. If you can grasp your team's attention in the first few minutes of your project management meeting, then you are halfway to success.
Images
Whether you use a flipchart full of nifty drawings and graphs or prefer a more technical option, such as a screen and a presentation that you can run via your laptop, visuals are a fantastic way to grab people’s attention.
You can create a complete walk-through of the stages involved in the project; it is far more accessible for people to visualize a project when they have something to look at in this way than when they are all just sitting around a table listening to someone speak.
Handouts
Okay, handouts might seem a little old-fashioned, but they are a great way of giving team members a glimpse at where you see the project heading. If the goal of your project is to create a new product, then seeing images of similar projects can be a great way to start people’s creativity. This, in turn, can bring your meeting to life, generating suggestions, ideas, and enthusiasm for the new project. It’s a great way to get the members of your project team working together even before they begin to start on the actual stages of the project.
Follow-up meetings
Remember, you don't need to stop there just because you have already sold the project idea to your team and engaged their enthusiasm. Visuals can provide a powerful update at any team meetings you might have as your project progresses. If you are working on a product, then seeing visuals of the current status, projections, and figures can be a great way to keep the entire team motivated to work toward the completion of the project. So, use your project management skills to engage your team.