As Priya Parker tells us in The Art of Gathering: "Purpose is your bouncer", and if we're clear on why we're organising something we can be clear on who needs to be there (and who doesn't).

The 'To... So That' framework is one you can easily make use of to get clear on purpose, keep it front of mind and bring others into the discussion of it.

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Your To is your intention and your So That is the impact of that intention.

Some examples....

To get a group of decision makers from every function of the business together,
So that we can make a call on which team away day option to go for.

or

To share the latest client feedback with Emma and Myles.
So that we can include it within our client meeting on Friday.

or

To share the company's approach to giving feedback with our latest graduate joiners
So that the training aspect of their onboarding is complete.

Before your next meeting, gathering or other get-together; spend 5 minutes thinking about your To and your So That.

Consider what you're trying to achieve and how you know you'll have achieved it.

Keep Priya Parker's 'purpose is your bouncer' idea in mind. Who need to be there, and who doesn't?

Share your purpose statement in your calendar invite, or at the start of the meeting. Or agree one with all those along, so you've co-created it together.

Our Facilitating Remote Groups workshop, is an excellent live session for anyone looking to dig deeper into making meetings mean more.

Sources: The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters, by Priya Parker (2018). Find Your Why: A Practical Guide for Discovering Purpose for You and Your Team, by David Mead, Peter Docker and Simon Sinek.