In two previous episodes I discussed who to invite and what to do during your web team meetings. However one touchy subject not yet covered is that of dealing with a HIPPO or Highest Paid Person’s Opinion. Even though pay may not be involved, rank or status may be. You most likely have HIPPOs in your church, be it someone on an important committee, a gifted presenter, or even your pastor. Although their ideas are often good, you do not want to limit yourselves to that one influential person’s opinion. I will describe some ways to even the playing field so all ideas get a fair consideration and solicit conversation from some of your mild mannered members.
Solutions include:
- Talk About Personality
- Speech Key
- Secret Ballot
- Tie Breaker / Tie Back
Action Item: Use any combination of these techniques to guide the discussion toward a productive outcome. Keep trying different combinations, as every situation is different. Also, if you have any techniques that worked well for your team, please leave a comment and share with the community.
Note: This episode is heavily based on my article Web Team Meetings: Dealing with HIPPOs
