One of the things I am realizing right now is that I lead and facilitate a lot of different meetings during the week. At the time this was written I had 6 meetings that I led through this week. That's not counting 1-1s and or other meetings that I am in and speak into. These are all important meetings and they are all different. They focus on different things and involve different people for each of them. The meetings exist to make sure we are all headed in the right direction, we all have clarity, we are all improving, and we are all connecting relationally.
Sometimes, I can delegate out parts of the meetings so that I'm not the only one talking. This is helpful. But I am often facilitating the meeting, coming up with the agenda or content, or sharing a leadership insight or spiritual devotional. So, why am I sharing this? I'm sharing this because I think I have learned a couple different things as a leader that have helped me lead through all these meetings.
The first thing is that I have to make sure that I am always learning myself. I have to be listening to podcasts, reading articles, or books constantly. I have to be sitting down with mentors and mentees and learning from them. I have to make sure I'm reflecting on my own experiences so that I can understand what has worked and what hasn't so that I can share those things. I have to make sure that I am making time to learn. If I'm not learning how am I going to push other people forward.
The second thing is I have to make sure that I make time to plan, ideate and dream. If I'm not planning ahead I can't come into these different meetings prepared to point others in the right direction. I have to make sure that I am always thinking 1,2,and sometimes 3 steps ahead of others. I have to be listening to what others around me are asking and or feeling so that I can come in and bring clarity or support where needed.
The third thing I would share is that I didn't just get a title and start leading these meetings right away with all these different people. I had to gain influence. Influence takes time. I have to constantly learn about those I lead. I have to show that I care about those that I lead. I have to serve those that I lead. If you want to lead successful meetings you have to make sure you have influence with those that you are leading.
What are you learning today? Where are you making time to plan? Where are you investing in others and gaining influence? You might think that you are not sitting in a leadership position right now. I would argue that's not entirely true. We all have people around us that we lead. Maybe it's our spouse, our family, our friends, our small group, or ourselves. We all are leaders in some way. And if we begin doing these things then our leadership may improve and our influence may grow.
