Nobody ever gets their best creative ideas in a grey windowless conference room, yet companies everywhere are having meetings right now in places that suck the energy and ideas out of those they are looking to inspire.
 
While you may not be able to immediately influence the location or style of your current offices, paying attention to where you host your regular team meetings or your quarterly strategic retreats will make the difference. Remember how you feel if you visit a restaurant with a fabulous view, inspiring décor, and uplifting music. Your mood changes and you relax. Leaders who pay attention to the location of their meetings get greater ideas from their teams and reduce the probability of the collective eye roll of frustration and attendees reaching for their phone for an alternative distraction.
 
Here are five of the best and worst places to generate new ideas:
 
Worst:

• Your regular windowless conference room
• An open plan office where work is continuous
• Your cramped office
• Your home office while trying one of the many failed video conferencing solutions that just don’t work

 Best:

• Anywhere that is a break from your normal work environment
• Luxury car show rooms (yes they rent them out for private events)
• Private dining rooms in restaurants with a view
• Meeting rooms in libraries, museums, and art galleries (Seattle Library and the Seattle Sculpture Park has some amazing spaces)
• Use Peer Space to hire out unusual venues from train carriages to theatres

Innovation happens when you are outside of your comfort zone. What can you try that is new for your next team gathering? 

Dedicated to growing your business,

Val