“A whiteboard can be a super helpful tool in meetings and group discussions. But, when it’s not used effectively, it can be a distraction ….”
That’s the advice of OfficeNinjas columnist Jenessa Connor, who offers a six key tips on how to be the most effective when using a whiteboard in a presentation or lesson.
In summary, Jenessa’s six tips are:
Focus on Purpose – Stay on track by writing down goals, questions, or whatever is needed to keep a meeting in focus.
Write Clearly – If your writing isn’t the best, slow down. Also, summarize with key phrases.
Erase As You Go – As the presentation and discussion move on, erase parts of the presentation — but keep the goals! And: Ask the participants if it’s OK to erase.
Organize Ideas – Establish columns for different ideas.
Other Thoughts – Discussions usually lead to comments that are valuable but not relevant to the presentation’s goals. Save a corner of the board for such thoughts.
Take a Picture – Before you erase, take a photo of what’s on the board, and make the photo available to the participants.
Dan Griffin is general manager of EVERWhite, a U.S. manufacturer and seller of whiteboards and tack boards used for teaching, coaching, planning, collaboration and tracking. Along with his expertise in the use of whiteboards, Dan excels in leadership, new product development, business operations, continuous improvement and product marketing. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, with a focus on marketing, from Temple University.
