How To Stay Awake At Meetings/Seminars

The scary thing is this arrived on my email about an hour after chairing what I thought was a pretty good meeting!

Do you keep falling asleep in meetings and seminars?
What about those long and boring conference calls?
Here’s a way to change all of that.
1. Before (or during) your next meeting, seminar, or conference call, prepare yourself by drawing a square. I find that 5″ x 5″ is a good size. Divide the square into columns-five across and five down. That will give you 25 one-inch blocks.
2. Write one of the following words/phrases in each block:
* synergy
* strategic fit
* core competencies
* best practice
* bottom line
* revisit
* expeditious
* to tell you the truth (or “the truth is”)
* 24/7
* out of the loop
* benchmark
* value-added
* proactive
* win-win
* think outside the box
* fast track
* result-driven
* empower (or empowerment)
* knowledge base
* at the end of the day
* touch base
* mindset
* client focus(ed)
* paradigm
* game plan
* leverage
3. Check off the appropriate block when you hear one of those words/phrases.
4. When you get five blocks horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, stand up and shout “BULL<edited>!”
5. Testimonials from satisfied “Bull<edited> Bingo” players:

— “I had been in the meeting for only five minutes when I won.”
– Adam W., Atlanta
— “My attention span at meetings has improved dramatically.”
– David T., Florida
— “What a gas! Meetings will never be the same for me after my first win.”
– Dan J., New York City
–“The atmosphere was tense in the last process meeting as 14 of us waited for the fifth box.”
– Ben G., Denver
— “The speaker was stunned as eight of us screamed ‘BULL<edited>!’ for the third time in two hours.”