I’ve been reminded in my own ministry and with people I talk with that sometimes meetings can go terribly wrong and you or the people you are collaborating with can leave very disappointed, confused or even frustrated.
I’ve noticed that the more clear I am in laying out my expectations in meetings I lead the better the outcome can be.
It’s like the few times when I’ve gone to Disneyland with a large group. You walk into the park and in your mind you’ve mapped out exactly what you want to do. Unfortunately the others in the group have done the same thing. So you end up spending most of the day running from one side of the park to the other and never really get to enjoy the day because everyone has their own idea of where they want things to go. I see this in meetings too…. People often come in with very different expectations. So take a few minutes in your next rehearsal, meeting or any gathering to clarify for your team what you are and aren’t asking of them in the process. Here is a tool that’s been helpful to me when collaborating with others.
Points of authority – What am I asking of you:
Veto Authority – the authority to have final approval. Reserved only for the top leader or team.
Point Authority – the authority to initiate. The buck stops here. This person is ultimately responsible for the project or decision.
Input Authority- the authority to provide input into the decision and the right to receive feedback on how that input was considered.
Informational Authority – the authority to be informed once a decision is made.