I live in the world of boring meetings. Well, not really but we all know how easy it is to have long, insignificant, and ineffective meetings.

What can we do to lead effective meetings? What can we do to get our group to work together and to lead effectively?

First, set an agenda and stick to it. A written agenda (at least that the leader has) is essential. The larger the group the more a written and published agenda matters. The agenda will keep you on track and on time.

Second, observe those people who already lead good meetings and learn from them. Good examples are often better than study or memorization. Those people who lead effective meetings can show us how to do better with the meetings we lead.

Third, learn the basics about parliamentary procedure. There are plenty of simple guides to parliamentary procedure plus there are people who can give you pointers to proper ways to conduct a meeting. Use those guides and learn from those people. It will help your group to get to where they want to be.

Fourth, lead your group to establish principles of good behavior and accepted procedures. I’m always amazed at how many churches do not have by-laws or some form of established principles. If nothing else, get together with your group (a committee, church, homeowners association, etc.) and set up the principles which the group agrees to live by.

This step will make the meetings quicker and more efficient. Hopefully, these principles will help establish better outcomes as well.

Fifth, think through and pray through what you are going to say and how you are going to say it. The leader must lead, and to lead the leader must be prepared.

Sixth, treat everyone with love, respect, and appreciation. When you conduct a meeting, it’s not enough to get a preferred result. You want buy-in. It’s not enough to simply get a majority vote. Treating everyone with the respect they deserve will go a long way to promote buy-in.

Business gets done in meetings. Do your best to lead them well.