The first step towards meeting mastery is to defind why it is you are meeting. For what purpose are you getting people together?

It is an informational meeting? A brainstorming meeting? Is it a standing meeting that you have every week or ever few weeks? It it an emergency meeting to deal with a crisis of some sort?  Is it a simple business meeting for the purpose of rubber stamping a proposal?  Is it a meeting that needs to make a decision that has been deliberated for some time?  It is a meeting to prepare for work to be done in the future?  Is it a meeting to attempt team-building?

Defining the purpose of the meeting will inform what you do to insure a great meeting.

When you sit down as you prepare a sermon you ask, “What is the purpose of this text?” When you come to an answer you proceed to write a one sentence big idea statement.  In the same way you should write a one sentence purpose statement for your meeting.  That sentence is the starting point for getting ready for your meeting.  And just as great preaching starts with a crystal clear purpose statement, so to does a great meeting.  Make it as clear and specific as possible.

Finally, let me suggest another question to ask when defining your meeting…do you even need to meet at all? I think that unless you have some sort of church bylaw requirement that requires meeting it is okay to tell people, “You know what? There is nothing pressing tonight to discuss/decide on. Why don’t we skip this meeting?”  People will appreciate you valuing their time.
Canceling a meeting can also happen if it is an informational meeting. A church planting friend of mine decided early on in the church he led that if the meeting was going to just be reporting and sharing information that an e-mail would suffice. The meetings they have for for decisions and brainstorming, not reporting. Something to consider.

Without clearly defining the purpose, one will not be able to follow the other steps towards meeting mastery.

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