Do you lead effective meetings?

Last Updated: May 29, 2026By Tom Harper

I ran a meeting once that I thought went pretty well. I was authoritative, efficient and leaderly.

But in other people’s eyes it didn’t go so well. Someone asked me afterward if I was OK. “You seemed stressed or something.”

Oof. But I was authoritative, right? We got through the whole agenda. And we ended on time! Don’t forget that.

With a sagging spirit, I realized I was not a good leader in that moment. At all.

Meetings, it turns out, are about more than the agenda. They are relationship builders, leadership refiners, and creativity sparkers.

But they’re even more than that!

They establish culture. They highlight values. They reveal negativity. They resolve conflict.

When led well, they’re one of the most untapped resources in companies and churches.

The next time you head into a meeting, don’t mimic my embarrassing performance.

And remember, effective meetings accomplish much more than we think.

Blessings,

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