Part 5


the way we go about our business or in stating and agreeing the purpose?


3. What are the features of this group (such as the way we relate to each other, how we role model Christian leadership if appropriate and the way we are led) and of our meetings that work really well?


4. What general features of this group’s life and of our meetings would we like to improve?


5. What practical actions can we take together to bring about such improvement?


The point here is to concentrate more on the group of people than your meetings. Some will not find this easy and will try to move the discussion onto aspects of the business. This is allowed for in the questions above but must not become the main point.


It would be possible, and should be profitable, to carry out the same exercise for the meetings. But so often it is issues to do with the group that impacts the effectiveness of the meetings and so what is described above is the more fundamental exercise.


2: A quick review of each meeting


This may be a new idea, but it’s worth taking five minutes at each meeting to do this. You can either make it the last item on the agenda (though people may simply be wanting to go home) or the first item of the next meeting (but people may have forgotten the last one). Or this quick review might be carried out by an executive group planning the next meeting. This is designed as a quick exercise, not as a thorough appraisal. Assuming the whole group takes part this could be difficult if there are authority or relational problems or people are not prepared to be honest. You could then have it as a paper exercise.


1. What were the really positive features of this meeting? This might be something to do with the business, or the way the group worked together, or the timing, or the seating layout, etc.


2. What did not work as well as it might have done? This might have involved any of the above list, or destructive conflict, people arriving late, lack of preparation, how a decision was agreed, etc.


3. What one change might we have made to make it a better meeting, and so what action do we now need to take for next time? Who will do this by when?


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There will not be time for anything more thorough than this. What this is doing is to show the group that performance matters and that this is a group responsibility.


Note that there is also an informal, and more honest, review of each meeting which probably takes place for ten minutes or more on the street or in the car park outside the venue as people prepare to go home.


3: Review one item of business


You might want to do this either because the item in question had special features, or it was especially important, or it was difficult or controversial. Or it might simply be that you take one item as a case study for seeing how the group tackles business in general. Here are some possible questions.


1. How clear was its agenda listing as to what the group was seeking to achieve with this item (for example, whether it was for information, discussion only or for decision)?


2. How well prepared were we to tackle this item with necessary understanding?


3. How well did we perform in dealing with this item? For example: Was the time used effectively? Were people listening to others well? Did we respect each other’s views? Did we stick to the point? Was it chaired well? Were we clearly seeking God’s will rather than individual preferences?


4. How clear a decision did we make, if that was expected? And how well did we ensure that that will now be actioned, by whom and on schedule?


5. What was the one main lesson we learn from how we tackled this item?


6. What practical changes do we now need to make to improve on any of the above points?


You could also take these questions and apply them to your business in general to provide a review of the way your group does its business.


4: Review the chairing


This is best done by the chair themselves working with a mentor or appraiser. Better, it might be carried out with two or three people who have been asked to observe performance and provide helpful input. It might be done in a group of people who share out the role of chair so that they can help each other. In a very close


Continued on page 14


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