This is one of a series of blogs on FOA – frequently offered advice – based on common themes from my coaching work over the last 20 years. 

How often have you thought to yourself, “Why are we having this meeting?” Or “this meeting is a waste of time.” A significant amount of time in church and ministry leadership is spent in meetings. And yet, complaints about unproductive meetings are common. 

When this frustration is expressed, my response is to ask, “What is the purpose for this meeting?” If you can’t give a 1-sentence answer, there’s a good chance that the meeting will not be productive. Having a well-defined purpose should drive what is discussed in the meeting and who participates. 

For example, there is a big difference between a meeting to work out the details for next week’s worship service and one to brainstorm about sermon themes for the next 12 months. The people that should be in the room to give input in the selection of long-term mission partners are not the same people that need to plan the details for each of those partnerships. 

Patrick Lencioni has a helpful term – “meeting stew” – to describe the tendency to dump all sorts of different items into one meeting. He points out the difficult of jumping from a short-term tactical discussion to a long-term strategic one. (His book, Death by Meeting, is a helpful and enjoyable resource. He also addresses the subject in one section of The Advantage.) 

I know the counter-argument: “There are a variety of things to discuss, so let’s do it while we’re all together.” If that’s working well for you, and you’re not frustrating with your meetings, then keep doing it. But you probably wouldn’t have read this far if that were the case.

One important implication of more purposeful meetings is that someone needs to “own” each meeting. That doesn’t have to be the most senior person in the room. But someone needs to be clear about the purpose, shape the agenda beforehand, and keep the discussion from veering far off track.

Please don’t hear this as a recommendation that every meeting should be tightly scripted. Some breathing room – for sharing personal concerns or just light moments together – is a valuable part of being together. But even that can be purposeful. 

You’ll never reach a point where everyone in your church or ministry looks forward to every meeting. But as a first step, make a list of all your regular meetings, and rate the effectiveness of each. If your assessment reveals a pattern of lackluster meetings, you may need to be more purposeful.

 It’s easy to receive my blogs by email. Just sign-up on Feedburner by clicking here.

One of the great institutions and traditions in my city is the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (HLSR). This 3-week event, the second largest rodeo in the world (behind the Calgary Stampede), draws over 2.4 million visitors each year. But the number that is even more impressive to me is the 34,000 HLSR volunteers who contribute 2.1 million hours of their time each year!

I suspect your mouth waters a little when you think of this level of volunteer mobilization in your church or ministry or non-profit. What’s the secret for HLSR? It’s not a big advertising budget. You won’t see billboards around town or hear radio ads asking for volunteers. Instead, it’s a culture that keeps volunteers coming back and attracts their friends by word-of-mouth. 

So why are HLSR volunteers so committed and enthusiastic? The answers are applicable for any organization that relies on volunteers:

• Purpose. HLSR is a non-profit, with all of the proceeds going to fund scholarships for area youth ($27 million in educational commitments in 2019). Volunteers know that this wouldn’t be possible without them.
• Fun. HLSR volunteers enjoy their jobs. It’s not that the jobs are glamorous, but they are an essential part of the great guest experience for the rodeo’s millions of visitors. Part of the fun is the sense of community that is developed within each volunteer team.
• Organization. From communication to clear roles to training, HLSR volunteers can count on the rodeo to be well-organized. They know they will be prepared for whatever they’re asked to do and whatever curves may come their way. 

A recent newspaper article quoted one of the volunteers as saying, “It’s kind of addicting” and reported that “people are lining up to perform even the most menial tasks.” These include jobs such as helping people load onto shuttle busses, handing out maps, keeping paths clear for livestock, and even shoveling up behind the animals. Should your church or ministry take a cue from the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo?

It’s easy to receive my blogs by email. Just sign-up on Feedburner by clicking here.