Mention the phrase “Team Meeting” or “Staff Meeting” and most of the time you’ll get groans of displeasure and knowing eye rolls indicating sheer boredom and barely contained disdain. Yes, team meetings can be occasions to let all employees know what’s going on within the company so that everyone is on the same page. Progress reports and project delegation are important to keeping a business flowing and employees productive. But, team meetings certainly don’t only have to be about that. In fact, at GoldStar ATM we think that team meetings are an opportunity for not only business growth, but personal growth as well.
Your career isn’t your entire life. And if it is, then you should likely be taking a long hard look at why it is. Work hard at what you do, absolutely! However, without balance, without personal growth outside of your job, you are likely to become stuck, burned out, and, frankly, not much fun to be around.
At GoldStar ATM we have a philosophy that by being on a mission of personal growth and happiness, we will be able to communicate and cooperate as a team in a healthier, more well-rounded way, which benefits us not only as a business, but as collaborating colleagues as well.
One of the ways that our personal growth mission is encouraged within the GoldStar work environment is through our team meetings. These aren’t your stereotypical staff meetings. While we sometimes accomplish business and logistics during these meetings, we mostly focus on our growth as individuals.
Here is an outline of our 7-step Team Meeting process:
Team Stretching
According to BizJournal, health experts are increasingly concerned about the effects of sitting for prolonged periods of time. BizJournal states, “Inactivity or being sedentary increases the pressure on spinal discs by about 40 percent more than standing, according to a 2009 report in Medical News Today. As a result, the pelvic muscles become tight and, when a person stands after sitting for long periods of time, the body is pulled forward and off balance, causing stress to bones and muscles.”
In their 2009 special report the Wellness Council of America (WELCOA) states that some of their top 10 reasons to practice workplace stretching include decreased risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), such as sprains and strains in the lower back, shoulders, and knees; decreased risk of disorders such as rotator cuff injuries, tendonitis, and tennis elbow; reduced overall stress in the workplace; and improved employee productivity.
Team Building Game
Team building activities promote communication, collaboration, and a positive energy within a work environment. Most importantly, team building games and activities can bring fun and a sense of bonding to employees who work toward a common goal.
TED Talk
TED began in 1984 as a one-off conference where Technology, Entertainment, and Design converged. Since then, TED has become a nonprofit dedicated to spreading ideas of all sorts, usually though its talks, which are short, powerful talks that are usually 18 minutes or less in length. These talks are shared the world over through TED.com. For a company focused on personal growth, TED talks are the perfect weekly inspiration to get our minds flowing with ideas and possibilities.
5-Minute Meditation
Like stretching, studies have shown that meditating has many positive effects on the body and mind. Psychology Today states that some of the scientifically-proven benefits of meditation include increased immune function, decrease in depression, anxiety, and stress, increased social connection and emotional intelligence, increased focus and attention, and improved ability to think outside the box.
Conversation With the CEO
To promote personal growth and business empowerment, Sky Trammell, the CEO of GoldStar ATM, gives his own take on what we watched in the TED talk earlier in the meeting.
“When you find the ‘why,’ you will know the ‘how.’”
Group Discussion
Furthering the discussion, the team then uses time to look at the theme of the TED talk and the CEO’s comments to further examine how this affects our own lives and our work. This kind of deep-seated discussion empowers and bonds us in our work and our personal growth.
Gold Stars for the Team
Everybody likes to feel appreciated. At GoldStar we believe that recognizing team members for their contributions goes a long way to feeling seen and appreciated. During this portion of our team meeting we take time to recognize team members who deserve some kudos for their efforts and for their partnership.
By encouraging our growth as human beings, we are each able to create a work/life balance that allows for us to focus on what we need to, when we need to. And we can bring that focus together as a team to create collaborative, creative work relationships. As the saying goes, it’s definitely a win-win.
