Beware of Boredom, it's contagious!

Let's face it, we have all walked out of a meeting (or class) before and said, "That was the worst meeting ever." This is because you are suffering from a condition known as compulsive boredom. No matter what subject, time or place, or presenter, you always manage doze off, doodle, or find a way to entertain yourself through a meeting. Stefan Kroes managed to conduct an entire study on how to detect boredom in a meeting. Check out his paper by visiting this website. The good news is, boredom is preventable and treatable. As aspiring young professionals, it is important that you know how to stop the spread of boredom, so your team or group does not become apart of the problem.

Boredom is spread easily in a group setting by a lack of organization and planning on the part of the person running the meeting. To combat the disease in this form, remember a simple phrase: Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance. This means; formulate a comprehensive agenda, send it to all meeting attendees two days in advance, show up early to the meeting room, and respond to pre-meeting questions quickly. Be sure to have copies of the agenda with you at the meeting. These tips, and several more, can be found in this sample meeting agenda article by Estella Kennen. Even with proper preparation, boredom is still extremely dangerous.

Excitement, humor, and heated discussion are the most effective weapons against this condition. In the days leading up to the meeting, flaunt your excitement to your co-workers! Although it might seem a little bit tacky and lame, you can guarantee that if you're not excited, no one else will be either. As the leader of the meeting, your energy should be contagious. Keep in mind, communication is key.

Humor works well when used at the right moments. However, remember that all humor must be politically correct and must be something the audience will respond to. Humor can be used in your speech, PowerPoint, the agenda, and a number of other places. If a tasteful joke fails to invigorate your audience, perhaps a brief recess is needed to recover.

Finally, encourage discussion amongst all team members. Few things can persistently stave off boredom like a heated discussion within a group. If a member is not participating or is seemingly excluded, call on them or ask for their input. As the meeting moderator, you must control how intense the environment gets.

If these tactics are ineffective at stopping boredom, the last defense someone has comes from reading the meeting minutes. The minutes are accurate, impartial records of what transpired at a meeting, and can serve as a recap for the weary employee. Minutes are a crucial part of every meeting, and should be taken very seriously. For tips and pointers on taking the minutes, check out this article by Dawn Rosenburg McKay. Even if you were paying attention, read the minutes anyways to jog your memory.

Failure to attend meetings prepared, actively contribute to discussion, or read the minutes are all factors that can lead to employment fatalities. Websites like effectivemeetings.com serve an excellent one-stop shop for all of your planning needs. If you have never planned or organized a meeting before, this site might be the easiest way to get some of your questions answered. Boredom is preventable, but you have to take the right steps to stop its spread.The only question left is, are you going to become a part of the problem, or the solution?