Harnessing the power of emotions in your next meeting has the potential to instill a deeper sense of collaboration and pride.

“Studies show that when we engage with something artistic or beautiful it activates the same parts of our brain as when we’re in love,” explains author Susan Cain in a recent Fast Company article. “It creates greater senses of well-being and creativity. So there are demonstrable, immediate benefits.”

She offers the following advice on how to harness “bittersweetness” as a collaborative tool in meetings:

• Encourage participants to share something they find uniquely beautiful. This can take the form of a personal or professional experience, or something equally beautiful such as a story, piece of art, or place.
• Next, ask participants to write down experiences that have been “bitter” and “sweet.” Then, share with participants that experiencing simultaneous beauty, difficulty, and joy are essential parts of the human experience and create connectivity amongst different groups and sectors.
• Finally, invite participants to share a personal story with the group. Often, this results in a deeper bonding experience and sense of relatability amongst colleagues and has collaborative benefits that carry into the long-term.

For more insights into facilitating meetings that can lead to trusting, authentic, and productive working relationships, read the article, “Try this meeting agenda to help teams harness emotions as a collaborative tool.”