As our year-round staff has grown our weekly meetings have become a little more important, and a little more costly. They are more important because they are a place where momentum can build and connection can happen. The cost is simply the annual value (financial and otherwise) of all the staff represented divided by 2,000.
Our meetings have three parts:
- Each person gives a two sentence description of a victory from last week and a priority for this week. This time is about everyone understanding each person’s contribution.
- We discuss a book that we have been reading together. We alternate business-based books (Good to Great, Purple Cow, etc.) and faith-based books (something by Paul Tripp or Eugene Peterson, etc.). We always end by assigning one person to lead the next week’s discussion.
- We end with prayer requests. This has become an important time of vulnerability with each other and sometimes connection with our summer staff as their needs often come up.
A few things for the Camp Director to manage:
- Keep it to an hour. There’s a balance of time to connect and honoring people’s time. Yes, we will all fail here.
- Give five minutes of social conversation before the meeting starts. This may be the most important part of the meeting, but start promptly after five minutes or arrival times will drift.
- Take notes on each person’s upcoming priority and follow up. Plans are possible but priorities are commitments.
- Plan specialty team meetings before or after this weekly one.
- We have found that Tuesday mornings work well for this since it gives everyone Monday to polish up priorities from the prior week and still leaves time for a great week ahead.
I know a lot of camps do this and I’d love to hear your best ideas so PLEASE email these to me. It’s time to get better!
Adam Boyd
Camps Timberlake and Merri-Mac
