5 Ways Great Meetings Can Drive Your Organization Forward

It has become increasingly fashionable for leaders to say, “I just hate going to all these meetings!”

And while it’s true that a poorly led meeting can indeed be a waste of time, effectively leveraged meetings can provide you with at least five irreplaceable opportunities:

1.   In a great meeting you can drive your organization down the field
In a recent coaching session with Canada’s Summit host pastors, Bill Hybels drove this point home. “Don’t just sit around receiving reports from your department heads,” Bill pleaded. “Seize the opportunity to instill forward momentum for your organization.”

2.   In a great meeting you can reinforce the culture you want to see
Your organization’s culture doesn’t develop by chance. It will flow out of the intentionality you bring to it. Do you want your culture to be collegial? Driven? Respectful? Prayerful? Few places provide you with a greater opportunity to determine your organization’s culture than in your meetings.

3.   In a great meeting you can watch for rising stars
Is there someone in your organization you believe may be ready for increased responsibilities? Bring them into a management meeting from time to time. Watch how they perform. Observe how much energy and added value they bring. This can be a great place to discern their leadership potential.

4.   In a great meeting you can catch “mission drift” early on
Chances are your organization has two or three “big rocks” that everyone should be focused on. These are the highest priorities which require disproportionate energy from everyone. But every now and then you’ll find some people are obsessing over little pebbles instead. In a great meeting you can keep your ears open for these early signs of mission drift and take corrective action.

5.   In a great meeting you can discern when it’s time to increase (or decrease) urgency
Some seasons require the organization’s pedal to be pressed to the floor-board. In other seasons your organization needs to just exhale and regroup. It’s in meetings that you dial the urgency up, or dial it down.

No one wants to waste their time in a boring, poorly-led meeting. But don’t be too quick to dismiss the entire notion of connecting with your team at appropriate intervals.

Led well, your meetings can be an irreplaceable tool in your leadership toolbox.

How do you get the most out of your meetings?