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Meetings That Work

Practical Tips for Efficiency ... and Sanity

You have just been appointed (or elected) to lead a church committee. You're a beginner at this and don't know where to begin. How can you make this group work?
Here are some basic tips from one who has learned through trial and error and wishes to spare you some pain:

Start on Time

Some people are always late—that's their style. And everyone is delayed occasionally by unforeseen circumstances. Don't delay the start of the meeting for either person. In announcing the starting time for the meeting, you have contracted with the committee members to begin at that hour. Keep your end of the bargain.

End on Time

Announce not only the starting time but the adjourning time. This keeps the meeting moving and cuts down the frustration people experience because of unrealized expectations. If the session runs longer than expected, we feel the pressure of other commitments impinging on us. If the meeting is shorter than expected, we find ourselves with time that could have been put to productive ...

From Issue:Summer 1982: Volunteers
May/June
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