Episcopal Church Foundation Vestry Papers - for leading congregations

So far this week: eight meetings in three days. Whether I like it or not, meetings form the backbone of my day, vertebrae linking ideas, people, and action. Yet one-third of all meetings are considered unnecessary by the people who attend them.

I’ve been running meetings since leading student council in high school. In college I became well trained in the art of crafting agendas; the student organization I belonged to was incredibly organized and effective. We jokingly earned a reputation as the group that had pre-meetings to plan meetings to plan meetings! I admit it was a bit much at times, but also a fantastic learning laboratory of how to engage people around ideas and action.

But when you’ve run as many meetings as I have, it’s easy to fall into the old adage that “I could do it in my sleep.” In the midst of busy life it’s common to email a hurried agenda, just think about the topic while walking two blocks to the office, or print key documents on my way to the conference room.

Last week I attended a two-day training called “Facilitative Leadership: Tapping the Power of Participation.” Not surprisingly, a core part of the program focused on how to run good meetings. Most of the ideas weren’t new to me, but it certainly made me sit up straight and pay attention. It reminded me how important it is to prepare good meetings and how much I’ve been slacking. (Ahh, Lenten self-examination again….) Just like hunching over my computer keyboard isn’t healthy for my body, cramming for meetings isn’t healthy for our organizations.

I took away these reminders about meetings:

• Allow at least 1 hour of preparation per 1 hour of meeting. For more complex content or higher degrees of participation, the ratio may be 2:1 or 3:1.

• Balance three important dimensions: results, process, and relationships. Most meetings are aimed at results of some kind, but how people experience each other (relationships) and how work gets done (process) greatly impact the success of any group.

• Clearly define and state the purpose of the meeting. Decide if your purpose is action-oriented or information-oriented (or a mix of both). State this purpose at the top of the agenda for all participants to see.

• Identify and share the desired outcomes. There are two types of outcomes: products (a list of ___, a plan for___, an agreement about ___) or knowledge (awareness of ___ so that ___). Outcomes should be as specific as possible, so participants understand what the meeting is trying to achieve.

Tell participants their expected level of decision making. Some meetings are designed to share information; others for inviting input. Yet sometimes a group is given authority to make and execute decisions. Clarity about roles and level of involvement helps people participate at their best.

In our Episcopal Church context, vestry meetings are the backbone of congregational life. I’ve heard some great examples of vestry meetings that foster spiritual growth as well as manage business effectively. But all too often I hear complaint. Maybe its time for a Lenten self-examination of your Vestry (or committee) meetings?

Here are a few good resources from ECF Vital Practices to get you started:

• Vestry Papers January 2008 issue: Vestry Meetings. (Using the scrolling gray bar to preview and click on all the articles available in this issue, or download the print version.)

• Peter Strimer’s blog post: Is your vestry 'committee of the whole' leaving a hole?

• Angela Emerson's submission in Your Turn: Vestry Covenant and Planning Calendars (Note the documents are in .docx format. If you cannot open them, email us to request a copy.)

If you’ve got other tips and resources, please comment here or send us and email.