How to Transform Staff Meetings into Leadership Development

Everyone complains about meetings. But they don’t have to be soul sucking snooze-fests.

[Team Building Edition of the 3 Min Black Belt Business Newsletter] 

Today, I’m sharing a strategy to make your meetings not just productive but transformational—for your staff, your school, and even their personal lives. You can do this with kids, teenagers, anyone on your team. 

The Staff Book Club Method

Instead of using meetings only to cover schedules or address issues, dedicate 15 minutes to leadership training. My go-to resource? John C. Maxwell’s The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership.

Here’s how it works:

1. Assign the Chapter:
   Your team is responsible for reading ONE chapter of the book before each meeting. (Pro tip: Have them buy or borrow the book themselves. If they invest in it, they’re more likely to actually read it.)

2. Discuss Takeaways:
   At the meeting, each person shares their #1 takeaway from the chapter. This sparks insightful conversations and keeps everyone engaged.

3. Apply It Everywhere:
   Discuss how the leadership principle can be applied:

• At Home (building better family dynamics)

• At Work (improving teamwork or customer interactions)

• In the School (stepping up as an instructor or leader).

Why This Works

By breaking down leadership lessons into bite-sized chunks, you:

• Develop Future Leaders: Your team will think critically about their roles.

• Create Buy-In: They’ll feel more connected to your mission.

• Strengthen Your School: Leadership at the top trickles down to every class.

Ready to Try It?

Start with Chapter 1: The Law of the Lid and watch how your team grows—both as individuals and as a unit.

Bonus tip: End each session by asking, “How can we use this principle to improve our classes this week?”

Here’s some FREE worksheets you can use to help guide you along. 

As always, a 3 min read or less with one actionable tip you can implement right away. 

PS: I just completed my 1 Year Challenge of no alcohol. I posted my unfiltered takeaways from 1 year sober on facebook here if you wanna read it.