Chama meetings often fall into a repetitive rut, leaving members unmotivated and uninspired, consequently draining the group's morale. The famous adage, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy stands undisputed in this situation. In lieu of this, your next meeting will need to get spicy and interesting! Here are a few ways to improve productivity without adding more work in the chama;

Frequent Change of scenery.

Instead of holding household meetings, it would be better to hold meetings in a hotel or a picnic ground. This will truly improve group members’ mood and creativity. In these new sceneries assign a dress code or food-themed options to make it more interesting. Also invest in annual retreats focused on team-building activities.  When team-building activities turn monotonous, introduce learning new skills like embroidery, baking, and pottery. This will even awaken financial opportunities for members who become good at these skills.

Introduce fun and engaging activities.

Kick off your chama meeting with fun icebreakers like mini-quizzes to get members energized. Also, celebrate group members’ wins publicly, for example, celebrate a member who just got married, promoted, or started a new business. This will encourage members to break out of their shells, knowing they have a full squad ready to cheer them on when they win. Your chama could also invite guest speakers to talk about financial growth and investments.

Shake up the meeting structure.

During meetings, ensure that everyone is involved in the discussions. Reading minutes can be very mundane, and most likely, the secretary might lose her audience at the beginning. Instead of reading, I suggest using videos, presentations, or drawings even when brainstorming new ideas.

Time management.

Time is money. It is essential to be very conscious of how to maximize the time allocated for the meeting between all members. The most productive method is to keep business discussions concise to discourage boredom. Set timers to avoid bubbling, repetition, or off-topic talkers. This ensures that group members remain attentive and engaged.

Foster growth and collaborations.

Create educational sessions for members to learn new wealth creation strategies. Not all members are financially savvy, but everyone has an asset, service, or skill they can utilize. Since most chamas’ primary goal is to create wealth, those without financial literacy should be allotted a special time to learn and grow, as they barter what they have to other members. These education sessions will also help boost individual businesses by giving support and advice.

Lastly, review and reset chama goals. Regularly revisit the chama's goals,  1-, 5-, and 10-year plans to remind everyone of the big picture and foster growth.