I have currently been reading, "The Advantage" by Patirck Lencioni. Although not a spiritual book, this author has captured the essence of what makes for healthy organizations, including churches. The book emphasizes a “four disciplines” model: 1) build a cohesive leadership team, 2) create clarity, 3) over communicate clarity, and 4) reinforce clarity.
1) Build a cohesive leadership team: small group of leaders who are collectively responsible for achieving a common objective for their church. Consider the Noah’s Ark Management Team; small group of workers who collectively built God’s safe haven for the flood and then God chose only two of each species, not 20! This team must be completely transparent, honest and trusting with each member.
2) Create clarity: why do we exist; how do we behave; what do we do; how will we succeed; what is most important, right now; who must do what; and do we have a “Playbook” that documents the answers to these questions?
3) Over communicate clarity: all the answers to step 2 must be communicated precisely, clearly, and repeatedly to the team and organization. This communication must start at the top and cascade down.
4) Reinforce clarity: the answers to step 2 must be carried out in all of the organizational processes. These processes include the day-to-day operation of the church, the selection of ministry teams, the selection of missionaries, the recruiting, hiring and evaluating of church staff. A great example of this process includes a paradigm shift. Traditionally hiring has always used something similar to the following: recruit those who have the right education, experience, and credentials and then ask them to “fit” into our organization. Consider this approach: recruit those who fit into our organization and allow them to be educated and trained into what we need!
Finally, what should great meetings look like? Organizations should only have four types of meetings: 1) Daily check-ins – no agenda, just how are we doing? Is everything on track, do you need anything? 2) Tactical staff meetings – no agenda, let God direct these meetings. Each member has 1 minute to report on key activities. The leader then moves to major goals and progress reports. 3) Adhoc (no particular agenda)- topical meetings – dig deep into critical issues with only the major, involved players. 4) Periodic off-site reviews of successes and failures of critical initiatives and future plans. These meetings are typically referenced as the following: 1) Administrative, 2) Tactical, 3) Strategic, and 4) Developmental.
Conclusion: if this model were adopted for our churches and secular organizations, we would have staff people who arrived at work in the morning with clarity, hope, and anticipation. It would also send them home or to the mission fields with a greater sense of accomplishment, contribution, and self-esteem. The impact of this is as important as it is impossible to measure.

*Sources cited: "The Advantage": Patrick Lencioni