I had written before about the importance of leaders investing in their teams, and specifically how this goal shifted the focus and structure of our staff meetings. If you are seeking spiritual transformation and growth in your church, I recommend a different kind of staff meeting.
1. Have a purpose for the meeting
Weekly staff meetings in the life of church should have a purpose. If there is no reason to have a meeting, then don’t require your staff to stop their work and sit in a room with you. The time your staff invests is valuable when you require 1, 2, or even 3-hour meetings with no real purpose or plan you say more than may realize about the way you value their time.
As the leader of a team of pastors, it is your responsibility to have a plan for the weekly gathering. Put an agenda together, communicate that agenda, and keep the weekly meeting consistent.
2. Support the mission of the church through your time in staff meetings
The weekly staff meeting should be about the mission of the church. Do you lead a church staff? If so, would they agree that your staff meetings are helping to accomplish the mission of your church? As the leader, your agenda for your meetings should move the team and the church toward its mission to make disciples.
3. Use staff meetings to model an emphasis on what is important in the life of your church
What you plan reveals what you value. Plan your meetings with purpose, work together to ensure the support of the churches mission, and you will clarify your commitment to what matters. If you always ask about numbers, then your staff will think that what pleases you as the leader is more people. This follows the truth that whatever you celebrate is what your team and your church will consider to be most important.
4. Give others an opportunity to impact the agenda of the meeting
Before the meeting, invite staff members to submit items for the agenda. Inviting their input allows you to and the rest of the team to help where needed, and, more importantly, it demonstrates that you value the staff.
5. Listen to the thoughts and perspectives of your staff
Don’t ask for input on issues if you already have your mind up. There isn’t much that frustrates a staff more than the leader asking for the input and doing whatever he wanted anyway. If you ask, then listen to what they have to say. Further advice, let your staff run with the ideas they bring to the table. Your church and your staff benefit when you get out of the way and let others lead. Give credit where credit is due to your staff in front of the church.
Leading a staff is one of the most enjoyable things I do as a pastor, and the more they enjoy their ministry and involvement, the more I enjoy what I do.
Great points! Staff meetings are one of my most hated things in this world. I read a secular book a few years ago called, “Say it in Six” by Ron Huff and in it he argues that most information in a staff meeting really can be presented in six minutes, and the rest of the time we are there because we scheduled a certain length of time or we like the time where everyone is focused on us.