Instructions

Purpose: Structure, Communication & Alignment. 

We're introducing this tool to help you and your family stay on the same page with meetings. It's all about making sure everyone knows what's going on and holding each other accountable. By filling out the Meeting Guide, you’ll see what’s working now and think about what could work better. If this tool doesn’t help, stop using it. We want this to be practical and useful for you.

Before You Get Started:

• Talk as a Family: Before you fill out the Meeting Guide, have a conversation with everyone about what to include. The president should not decide this alone.

• One Person Can Start, But...: It’s fine if one person wants to draft the Meeting Guide first, but you need to discuss it with everyone before making it official.

• Easy to Make, Hard to Follow: Putting together the Meeting Guide is the easy part. The real challenge is making sure everyone actually follows it.

Columns Explained:

• Type: Name the meeting to show what team or management level it’s for. Skip 1:1s to avoid too much detail.

• Purpose: Write down why you’re having the meeting in one clear phrase. If the purpose isn’t clear, maybe you don’t need the meeting. Example: "Review vision, strategy, and finance" for a Board Meeting.

• Facilitator: Name who’s responsible for preparing, running, and following up after the meeting. If you prefer rotating this role, make sure it’s clear who’s in charge each time.

• Secretary: The facilitator usually also takes notes, but not always. The secretary writes down action steps and decisions, asking questions if something’s unclear.

• Frequency: State how often the meeting happens—annually, monthly, bi-weekly, etc. Regular schedules help ensure meetings happen as planned.

• Length: Note how long the meeting usually lasts. Mention any variations, like extended training sessions.

• Attendees: List who usually attends and any additional guests who join specific meetings.

How to Keep the Meeting Guide Updated:

• Review Once a Year: As part of your yearly planning, review and update the Meeting Guide, making sure it reflects any changes in your meetings.

• Adjust as Needed: You can tweak the guide anytime during the year, but do a full review annually to keep things on track.

How to Use the Meeting Guide:

• Check Meeting Frequency: The guide shows how many meetings everyone attends. If someone is stuck in meetings all the time and not reaching all of their goals, see if you can combine or cut some meetings.

• Ensure Everyone Feels Supported: If someone doesn’t feel supported, maybe they need to attend a different meeting or add a new one.

• Assess Effectiveness: Regularly ask if the meetings provide enough support and information. Adjust as needed to make sure meetings are effective and worthwhile.

Need Additional Help?

1. If you get stuck on a technological issue or don’t understand the logistics of the tool itself, feel free to email us at karen@commongoodfba.com!

2. If you get stuck on how the tool applies to your business specifically and would like one of our advisors to walk you through it step-by-step, consider our Professionalize the Business program!

By following these tips, you’ll create a Meeting Guide that helps your family and business stay structured, aligned, and communicate better.