How to Run an Executive Team Meeting That Doesn't Suck: 5 Tips for Running Effective Executive Team Meetings
Revised and updated in 2024! Thanks for making this one of my most popular actionable articles for operators!
Ah, the executive team meeting. Depending on your past experiences with such events, you might be filled with anticipation or - let's be honest - a bit of existential dread.
As someone who's attended these high-stakes meetings week in and week out for more than a decade, I can tell you this: despite the varied meeting styles across different companies, the following scenarios seem to play out time and again:
Scenario 1: The Mystery Box
Ah, the executive meeting - often an enigma to those not invited to the party. And let's face it, when people don't understand something, it can get a little scary. Worries start creeping in:
"What high-impact decisions are being cooked up in there? Layoffs, maybe?"
"Am I the topic of discussion?"
"Will they make a call without getting my input, even though I'm the one who'll be executing the plan?"
Sounds familiar, doesn't it?
Scenario 2” The Show-Off Showdown
You see, these meetings can sometimes turn into a stage where attendees feel this urge to put up a stellar performance, impressing their boss and outshining their peers (who often double as competitors).
These meetings can often become about posturing, and the real discussion gets lost in the shuffle.
Scenario 3: The Power Play
The Show-Off Showdown often turns into an even more toxic scenario: The Power Play. Sadly, these meetings can become an exclusive club, where those who don't have a seat at the executive table are left out of decisions that affect them.
Sure, they get briefed on what was decided after the fact...but only when it's convenient for those who made the decisions.
I've seen the good, the bad, and the downright ugly side of executive team meetings. The productive ones had one thing in common - a meeting leader who knew the value of time and was hell-bent on making every second count.
The not-so-great ones? Well, they were just winging it, hoping the collective wisdom of the group would save the day. Spoiler alert: it didn't.
So, if you're just stepping into the executive world or if you're on a mission to amp up your leadership team's regular meetings, here are some tips that might just help you be the meeting leader everyone looks forward to seeing.
5 Tips for Running Effective Executive Meetings
Tip 1: Reign In The Topics
You know what they say, start with the end in mind. In this case, that's the company's goals.
Kick off your meeting by analyzing how the company is faring quantitatively against its top objectives. Trust me, leading with the goals sets the right tone for a high-performance culture and sends a crystal-clear message about what really matters.
Steer clear of turning your meeting into a dramatic reenactment of each department's weekly status report. You've got to set boundaries and stick to them. How? Well, verbalize and document the criteria for what qualifies as a meeting-worthy topic. Here's a rule of thumb:
Does the topic need the intellectual horsepower of the whole group or just a couple of folks? If it's the latter, save it for a smaller meeting.
Is the entire group needed to remove roadblocks related to the topic? If not, again, save it for a smaller discussion.
And, most importantly, does the topic align with the company's goals? If it's a no, you might want to reconsider whether it needs to be on the agenda at all.
Embrace the Pre-Templated Agenda
An easy hack to ensure topics align with goals is to use a pre-templated agenda. Trust me, you don't need anything fancy here. A straightforward Google Doc will do the trick.
Structure each topic under one of the company's current goals. If the topic doesn't fit snugly under any goal, the meeting owner needs to seriously evaluate its significance before letting it grab the group's attention.
Tip 2: Appoint A Meeting Owner
Let's face it, while the CEO is often the assumed ringleader of these meetings, they might not always be the best fit for keeping the ship sailing smoothly, depending on their personality type.
Ever thought of a Chief of Staff taking the lead?
At my present company, I've been the one leading the meeting as the 2nd in command to our CEO. This individual often makes the perfect liaison between the team and executive.
So, what does that look like? As the meeting maestro in my past roles as a CoS, here's what I’ve handle:
Triage Topic Requests: I take the lead in sorting and evaluating topic requests, keeping the focus on our core goals.
Manage Time: My role involves ensuring we use our time effectively. If necessary, I'll interrupt, diplomatically, of course, to move discussions "offline" if they're not ticking the boxes we talked about earlier.
Elevate the Conversation: I aim to steer the discussion away from the nitty-gritty and up to the strategic level where it belongs. I do this by asking thought-provoking questions that help the team to think big picture.
The role doesn’t have to be that of a C-suite executive – it’s about someone who can lead the discussion and help to move the conversation to actionable outcomes. That may be one person or several people.
The main point is that you have a leader in the room, someone who can take charge and ensure we make progress in each meeting.
Tip 3: Pre-meeting Prep is a Must
I'm known to say, "Those who can't write, can't think."
Now, before you feel attacked, hear me out: I'm not asking for Shakespearean eloquence, just a well-structured argument.
To articulate an idea clearly in writing takes time and thought, and trust me, it's a better investment than using everyone's time listening to a long, meandering monologue during the meeting.
If a topic owner can't put together a coherent, data-backed argument for their viewpoint, it's probably not ready for the executive table.
The most effective executive team meetings I've attended are forums for debate, not classrooms for teaching. Sending out a well-written email outlining the topics in advance allows the team enough time to digest the information and come prepared for a meaningful discussion.
Because let's face it – the decisions that come to the executive team aren't the ones to be rushed - if they were easy, they'd have been made at a lower level, right?
The 10-Minute “Quiet Time” Technique
Here’s an example of this Bezos-like prep at work: The Head of People at my current company has a fantastic workaround for ensuring everyone comes prepared - a designated 8-10 minute "quiet time" at the start of the meeting for everyone to read through a document.
Since we're all operating on Zoom, she asks participants to go off-camera while they read and only come back when they're ready. This tactic has proven effective in an environment where pre-reading doesn't always happen as it should.
Tip 4: Allocate Time for Crafting Key Talking Points for Cascading Communication
As part of the executive team, it should be a routine practice to relay information to their teams right after the executive meeting. This can be done through various channels like Slack or in their subsequent team meetings.
Sharing what was discussed at the executive level is vital for two reasons:
It piques the curiosity of your team about the decision-making process at the top, an essential step towards cultivating a strong company culture; and
It fosters a culture of transparency and open communication.
A crucial aspect of an executive's role is effective communication with their team. A significant chunk of your responsibility involves distilling information and reinforcing key messages. As the old adage goes, "Repetition is the mother of learning."
Or, to put it another way, "Tell me and I forget; teach me and I remember; involve me and I learn."
Create concise, bullet-pointed talking points, rather than a script, to assist the executives in grasping the key takeaways and discerning what to share immediately versus later.
These talking points can be formulated on the go as each topic is discussed and decisions are made. Incorporate a reminder in your agenda template to ask, "What do we tell our teams?" at the end of each discussion.
Cascading Communication: Making the Most of A “Townhall”
While we're discussing communication, let's talk about the Townhall.
The Townhall, or all-hands meeting, where the entire company comes together, is an excellent opportunity to cascade the information discussed in the executive team meeting to the wider organization.
The key here is preparation. Before the Townhall, review the talking points and decide which information is relevant and appropriate for the entire company.
Consider the company's current goals, recent achievements, and challenges, and tailor your message accordingly. Your aim is to inspire, inform, and engage your entire team, and a well-prepared Townhall can do just that.
Tip 5: Schedule Time to Think “The Operational Big Picture”
An idea I discovered in Harvard Business Review is the practice of separating “strategic” and “operational” conversations. I love this idea, having witnessed it at work first-hand.
However, I'd recommend a more frequent engagement in macro operational thinking rather than limiting it to quarterly intervals or only during regular strategic planning sessions.
See, if your strategy's doing a 180, but you're still trying to run the show with the same old methods, you're going to hit a roadblock.
So, schedule some time to do an autopsy on those operational hiccups that have popped up. Take a good, hard look at what slipped up at the exec level that led to things going sideways. The goal here? Learning and improving.
The “Blank Paper Org Chart”
Here's a fun exercise for you: the "blank paper org chart". Think of it as the org chart version of zero-based budgeting.
How would you piece everything together if you had a do-over and had to start from scratch today with your current team? Why would you arrange it that way?
Give it a go. You'd be surprised at the enlightening conversations it could spark and the positive changes it could bring about in your team dynamics. You’d be surprised how quickly it can help you optimize roles and responsibilities, build stronger relationships, and improve performance.
Putting It All Into Practice: Tips & Further Insights
If you're building your executive team meetings from the ground up - whether you're a new team or you're in desperate need of a refresh - I'm a big advocate for an off-the-shelf framework.
It's tested, it's quicker to put into action than starting from scratch, and it allows you to figure out what jives with your team and what doesn't. Then, you can tweak it based on real-life feedback, not just speculation. (I'm a huge fan of - and personally use - the framework from The Rockefeller Habits.)
While we're on the topic of frameworks, I want to share a couple of gems from books I've found really valuable.
The first is from Multipliers.
Engage your people in your most significant challenges.
Have your team come prepared with data and viewpoints to discuss key issues.
Encourage everyone to put on their "company hat" and voice their thoughts.
Listen, decide, and outline the implications and actions. This sets a platform for open discussion and robust decision-making.
The second is from Riding Shotgun. In this book, the authors talk about fostering an environment where everyone's thoughts and concerns are heard and addressed.
The idea is to maintain discipline in bringing up relevant topics in the presence of all team members. This approach keeps communication lines open and ensures no one is out of the loop.
Remember, the goal of an executive team meeting isn't to leave everyone feeling overwhelmed or underappreciated. It's about facilitating open dialogue, making informed decisions, and driving the company toward its goals.
With these tips in your back pocket, you're ready to revamp your executive meetings and foster a culture of transparency, engagement, and high performance. Have thoughts, comments, or want to learn more about my experience in executive meetings? Reach out, and let's chat!
From HBR, on the topic of sharing thoughtfully prepared materials ahead of time: “all reading materials have been distributed to participants at least five days before each CEC session. Whenever possible, standard templates are used to display important financial, market, and competitor information. This gives each CEC member time to carefully review materials before the meeting and quickly get up to speed on important issues. Second, a standard cover sheet is included with all materials specifying precisely why people are being asked to read them—for information purposes only, for discussion and debate (in which case, the key issues are highlighted), or for making a decision and deciding a course of action.”
From HBR, on the topic of prioritizing agenda items: “Successful companies prioritize the problems and opportunities on top management’s agenda according to the “value at stake”—that is, according to the impact that resolving each issue will have on the company’s long-term intrinsic value (the net present value of the company’s future cash flow discounted at the appropriate risk-adjusted cost of capital). This can be done through a broad sensitivity analysis using the company’s valuation model; numeric precision is not the object of this analysis, only a general understanding. Typically, lower levels of the organization should address the low value-at-stake issues.” To learn more, visit: https://hbr.org/2004/09/stop-wasting-valuable-time