Lists of trends – what’s hot and what’s not - are always a popular item at the start of any new year. We think that a list of meeting trends for 2017 should certainly be among them. So that’s why we’ve identified a number of trends of which we would like to feature two in this blog. Both trends relate to one of the most common New Year’s resolutions - to live healthier and with less stress! Although it’s not always easy to keep to your resolutions, we’re sure that you would like to succeed this year. So why not […]

Did you know that in the Netherlands we spend a quarter of our working hours in meetings? You have only to calculate how many hours that is per year to see that it should really be rather less in 2017. Or more efficient anyway. And certainly if you’re the one who has to prepare the meeting.In this blog, you’ll read how to make a fresh start with your meetings in the new year. Meetings are here to stay There will always be meetings because there will always be a need for democratic decision-making. But most people are not exactly excited […]

Pop your VR glasses on. Have they started already? No! “Welcome”! says a colleague, with a smile. “Take a seat!” You sit down on your virtual chair and the meeting can start. Is this the future? Maybe, but if so the meeting of the future is closer than we think. Perhaps not yet with Virtual Reality, but certainly digitally and in the cloud. Few subjects are spoken and written about as much as meetings. And new forms of meeting are constantly emerging, such as stand-up meetings, scrum meetings or walking meetings. Every trick in the book is being used to […]

One of the nightmares of every chairperson has to be colleagues that squander huge amounts of time on the vaguest item on the meeting’s agenda – ‘any other business’ (AOB). No matter how tightly you manage the meeting, there are no rules for ‘any other business’. Before you know it, you’re embroiled in a discussion that nobody saw coming and for which nobody has prepared. That’s why in this blog we’ve gone back to the basics: what is the item AOB meant for anyway? Parking or removal Originally, AOB made it possible to introduce items for discussion that were not […]

“Who’s keeping the minutes today?” It’s not exactly a question that makes you popular. As soon as the chairperson asks this question, his or her colleagues quickly hide behind their laptops or suddenly have to check something important on their smartphone. Rarely if ever does anyone volunteer. Which is hardly surprising as transcribing minutes takes time. And as you’re busy enough as it is, you’d prefer to spend that time on other things. Yet it can all be done smarter and faster. Surely you’d prefer your colleagues not to stick their heads in the sand when you ask for someone […]

Meetings... Most people can easily think of something nicer to do. In fact, many people find meetings totally mind-numbing. Why is that? Do we get annoyed with colleagues who are meanwhile busy with entirely different things? Who visibly take no active part? Or are there other factors to consider? On average, we spend 6.5 hours a week in meetings, so at least let’s make them a bit easier and enjoyable! To help you, this blog describes the four biggest annoyances with meetings. Because once you realise why you approach meetings with a sense of foreboding, you know where changes should […]

On Thursday, April 21st it is the Administrative Professional’s day for the 28th time in the Netherlands. On that day many secretaries, administrative assistants and PAs will receive well-deserved extra attention. Perhaps even a bouquet of flowers or a gift… When it first started in the Netherlands in 1989 the business day was totally different than now. If you were trained to be a secretary in the ’80s you still had typing lessons on an “old fashioned” typewriter. With carbon paper! With all of the digital advances the “secretary” of today needs a radically different skill set. Working with a […]