Office Synergy for the Busy Meeting Professional 

Office Synergy

Photo credited to Office Now (www.cexp.com/officenow)

More and more of my meeting professional friends and associates have expressed to me that they are so busy running from meeting to meeting (busy is good, right?!) that they hardly ever see their office, or more importantly their coworkers!

A few of you have asked me, how do I keep up awesome office synergy, tap into my colleagues creativity, and stay connected, when I am never actually in the office? Well, it’s a great question, and I’d like to share with you the tips I’ve found to be tried and true.

  • Get an instant messenger system that works on your office computer, home computer, and phone. Google Hangouts is a great one, but there are many others that allow you to keep the conversation going with your office mates when you are at your desk or at an event.
  • Make an appointment with yourself to connect with a colleague once a week, be it lunch or a quick coffee break, remember that you’re only as good as your team and take the time to foster that connection! Catch up on what projects they are working on, provide insight on similar experiences, and have a little fun. There may come a time when you need a little support, building those connections ensures that someone will be there when you need them.
  • Pictures! We are in the meetings and events industry, and sometimes we pull off a truly outstanding event- those moments when you’re bursting with pride at how amazing your stage looks, or how well a particular session went, snap a picture and share it with your team. This isn’t bragging, you’re a family and families celebrate together! Ask your coworkers to do the same, and feel all the warm fuzzies as the office continually commemorates one another’s achievements.
  • Plan monthly team building activities; don’t wait for HR to plan an outing- send an email asking everyone to do a potluck or BBQ and schedule it during lunch once a month. It’s cost effective, fun, and will bring you all together.
  • Make sure you’re not MIA for too long. This is not to say update everyone where you are every second of the day- but give your team a general idea of where you will be, how they can reach you, and when you will be in the office should they need some face-to-face time. Keeping your team in the loop will ensure they know they are important to you and will build your relationship even stronger.

It can be hard building those valuable relationships at work, especially when we have meetings everywhere but the office; yet fostering those connections will make certain that you always have a team supporting and rooting for you. Take some time in May to implement one or two of these tips, and I guarantee by June you will feel closer with your work family.