Walk & Talk: Four Considerations for Thinking on Your Feet

When your team begins to hit a wall, it may be time to hit the pavement! Walking meetings, also known as “walk and talks,” can promote creative thinking, improve focus and increase employee engagement. Plus, it’s no secret that walking is good for your health.

For several tips and tricks on holding successful walking meetings, plus some ideas for walking-meeting giveaways, keep reading.

Walking meetings done right
What exactly is a walking meeting? There’s nothing formal about it. Quite simply, a walking meeting is a regular meeting held during a walk instead of in an office, conference room or café. Get on the path to success with these four walking-meeting tips and branded giveaways:

• Make sure the shoe fits: Not all meetings are a good fit for walking. Those that require remote attendees, strenuous note-taking or technology beyond a smartphone may be better held at the office. On the flip side, brainstorms are a great fit for walk and talks because walking boosts creativity. In fact, research conducted by Stanford University found that people’s creative output increases an average of 60 percent when they are walking.

• Timing is everything: Plan your route ahead of time and make sure it times well with the length of your meeting. Steer clear of highly congested spots, narrow sidewalks and areas with excessive noise. For best results, have a destination in mind, such as a local landmark or park.

• Keep it small: Keep walking meetings small so participants don’t get lost in the shuffle. Include no more than three to five attendees for optimal effectiveness. Make sure everyone in the group can hear and be heard. Remember, it’s OK to take pit stops to summarize, jot notes, regroup and rehydrate. Provide walkers with a branded giveaway, such as this collapsible water bottle, for easy hydration on the go. If you plan to implement regular walk and talks, consider providing logo’d pedometers, too.

• Dress for success: Advance notice of walking meetings allows participants to plan for weather. You can help staff prepare with walking-meeting giveaways. A logo’d umbrella or rain slicker will come in handy when skies aren’t blue. And you can’t go wrong by giving employees an extra pair of socks to go with their walking shoes. You may even want to keep a stash of Deodorant Towelette Packets in your restrooms so staff can freshen up post walk.

Next time you have a meeting, take it to the streets. Follow these four helpful tips and throw in some walking-meeting giveaways for surefooted success. Good luck!