Not so challenging that it is beyond anybody's skills or knowledge to respond effectively. Challenging enough, however, to demand informed or original response. If an agenda item requires expertise that is greater than the combined expertise of the group, or information that is not generally available to the participants, the chances are that there will be a lot more anxiety than flow. Similarly, if the agenda item covers things that everyone knows, or demands unoriginal, formulaic response, the meeting will become, well, boring. Given clear goals and feedback and challenging activities that require skills, everything else follows.
People are engaged, so action and awareness become merged.
They are concentrating on the challenge, on giving their best. They are not self-conscious because they are too busy thinking and responding. And, when the hour is up, they are literally surprised that so much got done in such little time. Article copyright 2000 Bernard DeKoven.