These are great tips. Personally I try to avoid meetings at all costs if possible especially if I’m the so-called leader! So much of traditional “meeting time” is actually a time-sink for most people around the table and can be an addictive way to just look busy in some organizations.

Especially for people that are tech-savvy and used to working virtually, physical meetings sometimes are viewed not only as calendar-munching-monsters eating up valueable work hours, but also counter-productive if you don’t have the right people in the room (decision makers, real stake holders, etc).

Here’s some other tips I’ll contribute to your list:

1) Make sure you know what the purpose of the meeting is — as well as everyone that is in the room. Just like a vision for a ministry or church, each meeting needs to have clarity of purpose in order to get everyone working in the same direction.

2) Invite only those people that are really necessary. Group dynamics can get funky when the # of participants gets larger than necessary. Sometimes groups adopt positions and decisions that they would not have alone or with a small group of cohorts.

3) Flip side of #2, invite the crucial people to the meeting. Have you ever been to meetings where the actual decision maker(s) weren’t present, but you continue anyway? The conversations are then based on a lot of assumptions. And then there’s no closure at the end of the meeting and everything is based on what-if’s and best-guesses. Usually, they are not right which is the cause for another meeting.

4) Follow-up about the follow-ups. If you have a meetign with X number of people and then ask them what happened and what’s the next step, you’ll probably get either X answer or X+___ answers! I’ve found it effective as the leader to send a quick bullet item summary of actions steps with names / dates assigned to each item so that everyone understands who’s responsible. This is where discrepancies will show up in a reply back to you. Better to hammer these out right after the meeting vs. at the start of the next meeting.

5) Culture. Each group, even if it’s a 1-time meeting takes on a life of its own. It’s up to you to set the tone and culture of the meeting. Hit hard, hit fast and be relentless. You want to set-up an environment that is productive, optimistic, and comfortable. Usually it’s a good idea to encourage an environment that embraces a no-penalty zone for at least part of the meeting where people are not afraid to contribute “BIG IDEAS”. By making it know that you expect more from your typically boring old meeting, sometimes you get surprised with some outrageous, creative ideas that really shows everyone how great of a team you have.

Those are my $0.02 for now.

To Your Success,
Kenny

Kayla, So glad you are a part of the family on the Internet! I think leaders can/should debate ideas. If the team has a healthy culture, the leaders should be able to hash out ideas w/o coming across like a dictator.

great article! you’re one of my favorite pastors and i’ve never ever been to oklahoma or any of lifechurch’s other locations (praise God for the internet!).

but i was wondering how you suggest that leaders give their opinions/ideas in meetings on how to accomplish goals without seeming like a dictator, especially when the ideas given by others seem pretty good too.

thanks!

Will, Typical communication strategy will vary. (Sometimes we drop the ball on this in a big way.) One of the final questions to ask during wrap of time is, “Who needs to know what?” Then… “Who is going to communicate it?”

all too often impacted players, departments and resources are not even notified much less involved in the decisions that effect them most, until after it has already been initiatied. this kills morale and communicates a lack of value for staff and key servant leaders. it is particularly devastating when the representative leader at the meeting is not a strong advocate and jsut gives in to decisions that may not be in the best interest of those impacted and the ministry as a whole!

craig - what does a typical communication strategy look like and consist of?

Where were you 30 years ago when I was really getting started. No, don’t answer that! This is exceptional stuff. I hope all the young ones who read this really latch on. I could have been a so much better leader if I had had this practical advice. I can’t even say “I wish I had done this one more” because this post shows a glaring weakness in my ability to lead a meeting. I can say I am good at encouraging participation and complimenting ideas. But the others need work. Sanguines just naturally have trouble with some of this that is why it is so important to have the team. Thanks again for this and the previous posts.