It's only natural to feel panicky about casting vision and parading your ideas before hard-boiled decision makers who want to call the shots.  Remember, you are the leader.  And yes, if you let them lead, they will.  But while they need to learn about your vision and how you desire to move the church forward, you need to learn about them. 

As pastor-leader, you need to figure out their Switch.  I'm talking about that universal must-have that flips on the green light.  The trouble is, each person on your council or board sees it and expresses it differently.  You have to get them on the same page.  But it's not as tough as you think.  You just have to get them talking and guide the conversation(s) while you facilitate the conversation.
Here are three tips that will greatly improve the meeting you are about to have:

1.  Know what you are walking into.

Gather important dadta about how the meeting will be handled.  Will it be structured or unstructured?  Do you homework and know who will be at the table and what purpose each person plays.  In a structured process, every person sitting near you already has an established (unmentioned) but pre-determined role they play.  Some are known as the "antaginist" or the "difficult to convince" or the one who is always "against" any new change even if it is to their benefit.

In an unstructured meeting, the participants may approach the process more creatively.  For instance, last Sunday evening I led an Open Forum meeting to discuss overhauling our Youth and Children Ministry in 2010.  It was a brainstorming and informal-open conversation.  However, I went into the meeting knowing that after all the "pitches" were made I would appoint a Task Force with the responsibility to gather the information from the open forum and prepare a ministry plan for 2010.

Now, the players present may be wondering--will it complement what they already have?  No, probably not.  But it will in fact re-imagine it.

2.  Understand that strategy follow structure. 

In a structured pitch, assume they've all read your stuff.  Be succinct.  They've taken the trouble to orchestrate a process to avoid wasting time--so follow suit.  The strategy is to be friendly, frank and focused. 

Then you jump in by saying "I know your time is precious, so I'll get right to it.  Using Power Point?  Do your intro remarks in three slides or less.

In the unstructured meeting, people will chat with each other and you.  No one has been given guidance about what to ask.  They're winging it, so you'll ned to gently take control of the meeting.  First ask, "What do you expect to gain from this meeting"?  Listen.  Take notes.  Give meaningful eye contact.

Next, ask permission to pitch:  "Would it make sense if I shared a bit about the ideas and purpose of our meeting.  And prepare them to listen.  This will take about 5-7 minutes.  This is the prelude to the pitch, and it lets people take you in.

3.  Share their goals.

The goal of the meeting is to see if you have a fit.  You'll discover that by engaging people to talk.  This is true whether it's a structured or unstructured process.  You must vet the participants at the table, guage their interests and ideas (on the subject) or else you will fail to flip their switch.  This is called switching on the green light. 

Without these simple tips or insight you cannot discover how each person in the meeting interprets the switch.




Barry is Founder and President of Ministry Indicators, www.ministryindicators.com a consulting group for churches who are ready for renaissance.  He also serves as a pastor/consultant/coach for the MIssouri Conference of United Methodists.