Defining & Communicating Meeting Purpose

Photo courtesy of Pexels/Magda Ehlers

When was the last time you intentionally outlined and communicated the purpose of your gathering to participants? Whether it's a weekly staff meeting, a quarterly board meeting, or a full-fledged strategic planning session, the purpose is often implied. However, making it explicit is crucial for a more productive meeting.

Inspired by Priya Parker’s The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters (a must-read for anyone designing and facilitating meetings), I believe it's worth revisiting the definition of meeting purpose, what it looks like in practice, why it matters, and how to effectively share this purpose with meeting participants.

Defining Purpose

In our self-assessment for the Association Facilitator Certificate Course that Lowell Aplebaum and I teach, we dedicate an entire domain to establishing context and clear aims — that’s how important we think it is to overall meeting success. Key competencies in this domain include:

• Seeking and including participant needs and perspectives in the design plan.
• Clearly identifying the measures of success, such as needed products/tangible outputs and stronger relationships/mutual stakeholder understanding.
• Establishing the desired experience, mood, or tone at the onset of the facilitation.
• Helping participants understand the reason/context for convening during the pre-work stage.
• Communicating purpose, process, timeframes, and expected outcomes at the outset of the facilitation.

More specifically, the Technology of Participation (ToP) methodology introduces three critical components of meeting purpose:

1. Topic: The focus or subject of the conversation.

2. Rational Aim: The intent, practical goal, or product of the conversation. It guides the collective thinking process and determines the direction. Ask yourself what you want the group to know, learn, discover, explore, or decide.

3. Experiential Aim: The inner impact of the conversation, affecting the mood and tone of communication. Ask yourself how you want the group to experience the conversation (e.g., helpful struggle or mutual trust) or how you want the group to “be” (e.g., excited or intrigued with a new idea).

Sample Aims

Aims should be determined before designing the meeting or event. Here are examples of two conversations and their possible aims:

For many facilitators, the topic and rational aim may come more naturally than the experiential aim. It’s not often something we consider. However, in the example above about Living a Healthy Lifestyle, consider how dramatically different Jillian Michaels and Richard Simmons might want you to experience a conversation about losing weight.

Any changes you make to these aims can significantly impact the design plan, the questions you ask, the invite list, room setup, outcomes, participant engagement, and so much. Conversely, not having any aims at all leaves the meeting or discussion open for interpretation. And when participants aren’t on the same page, resources are typically wasted. For example, discussions may be held, but progress stalls; conversations become circular; participants argue their key points without reaching consensus; and no final decisions are made or acted upon.

Leveraging Aims

The term "aims" is used intentionally to be broader than a goal. Think of aims as the banks of a river, with the rational aim on one side and the experiential aim on the other. Both guide the meeting, allowing flexibility in the center. The idea is to have a plan for the direction you want the meeting or conversation to head without specifying the exact destination or endpoint.

Based on the aims established for our meetings, we can make informed decisions about the balance of meeting logistics. And just as much as they’ll help you determine what to include in the meeting, they should also help you decide what should be excluded. By focusing on the aims, you can avoid distractions and irrelevant topics that can derail the meeting’s purpose. This ensures that time is used efficiently, and participants remain focused on the core objectives. 

Communicating Purpose

The meeting purpose (or aims) should be clearly evident to all participants. Whether included at the top of agendas, within meeting invites, in email communications, or all of the above, it’s important to ensure that aims are not only established by meeting organizers but also clearly shared with participants. This transparency helps everyone stay aligned, making the meeting more productive and meaningful.

When participants understand the meeting's purpose, they are more likely to engage actively and contribute constructively, knowing that their input is aligned with the desired outcomes. Moreover, clear communication can foster a sense of shared responsibility and commitment, which is crucial for achieving the meeting's goals and enhancing the overall experience for everyone involved.

Next Steps

Defining and communicating the purpose of your meetings is not just a formality—it's a necessity. By being explicit about the topic, rational aim, and experiential aim, you set the stage for a focused, productive, and meaningful gathering. Whether you are planning a casual team huddle or a critical strategic session, clarity of purpose ensures that everyone is on the same page, resources are utilized effectively, and the outcomes are impactful.

Next time you prepare for a meeting, take a moment to outline and share its purpose. Your efforts will pave the way for a more intentional and successful gathering, fostering a culture of clarity, collaboration, and shared understanding. Remember, a well-defined purpose is the foundation upon which all effective meetings are built.