Effective Agenda Templates

Too many founders fear board meetings. But with the right framework, they become strategic accelerators, not interrogations. I’ve seen transparency and preparation transform tense meetings into collaborative wins. Here’s how: 🛠️ The practical playbook 1. PREPARE: Build trust before you walk in - Owner: Executive team / CFO - Deadline: 5 days pre-meeting - Actions: ✅ Share a single-sheet dashboard (KPIs: ARR, CAC, LTV, Burn, Cash Runway). ✅ Distribute a concise pre-read (max 10 slides): Wins, risks, key decisions needed, metrics commentary. ✅ Flag red flags early (e.g., “Q3 ARR missed by 8%: here’s why and our plan”). 2. FACILITATE: Run a decision-focused meeting - Owner: CEO (with CFO support) - Rules: ✅ Strict 90-minute cap. Use a timed agenda (see below). ✅ No reporting! Assume board read materials. Focus on discussion and decisions. ✅ CFO owns numbers: Anticipate questions, clarify context (e.g., “This churn spike is driven by one segment, here’s the action plan”). 3. FOLLOW UP: Close the loop - Owner: CFO / executive team - Deadline: 48 hours post-meeting - Actions: ✅ Send approved minutes with clear owners/deadlines for decisions. ✅ Add action items to the next pre-read for accountability. ⏱️ Sample agenda (90 Minutes) 1️⃣ 0:00-0:05: Win of the quarter (CEO) → Sets positive tone. 2️⃣ 0:05-0:20: Critical metrics deep dive (CFO) → Focus on changes and drivers (e.g., “Net Revenue Retention dipped to 102%: feature delays impacted expansion”). 3️⃣ 0:20-0:45: Strategic topics (1-2 max) → e.g., “Q4 hiring plan,” “New product timeline risks.” 4️⃣ 0:45-0:60: Decision time → Explicit ask: “We need approval to increase sales headcount by 2.” 5️⃣ 0:60-0:85: Open discussion / Board input → Guided by pre-submitted questions. 6️⃣ 0:85-0:90: Summary & next steps → Recap decisions and owners. 💡 Practical Examples - Transparency win: Pre-read slide: "SaaS Gross Margin fell to 72% (target: 75%). Root cause: AWS cost overrun. Fix: Engineering optimization project launching next month.’” → Result: Board offered vendor intro vs. demanding explanations live. - Decision clarity: Ask: "Approve $200K in unbudgeted R&D spend to accelerate API integrations (expected ROI: 6-month payback via enterprise deals)." → Approved in 5 minutes. - Metric storytelling: Don’t say: "ARR grew 20%." Do say: "ARR grew 20%, driven by 35% uptick in enterprise tier (our new CPQ tool reduced sales cycles by 15 days)." 🔑 The Bottom Line Board meetings thrive when you: ✅ Control the narrative through preparation. ✅ Demand decisions—not just dialogue. ✅ Treat directors as partners, not prosecutors. Founders: Your board is your brain trust. Equip them to help you win. What’s your #1 board meeting hack? Share below!

We don’t need more meetings. We need better ones. Here’s a 30-minute 1:1 agenda that helps me stay connected, aligned, and supportive as a leader—without overwhelming the calendar. 🔹 Quick Personal Check-in (0:00–2:00) • Ask how they’re doing personally 🔹 Wins Since Last Meeting (2:00–5:00) • Let them share recent wins or progress made 🔹 Roadblocks & Challenges (5:00–10:00) • Identify the obstacles, focus on solutions, or support needed 🔹 Priorities and Goals (10:00–15:00) • Align on their current projects and what matters most this week 🔹 Feedback (Give + Ask) (15:00–20:00) • Offer specific feedback and ask for feedback to support them better 🔹 Growth & Development (20:00–25:00) • Briefly discuss skill growth, learning goals, or long-term aspirations 🔹 Action Items and Close (25:00–30:00) • Review takeaways, set next steps, confirm alignment before ending Consistency over complexity. Listening over lecturing. Growth over status updates. How are you making your 1:1s more impactful? #Leadership #PeopleDevelopment #OneOnOneMeetings #TeamSuccess #GrowthMindset

We don't prepare for effective meetings. But we can save time and boost outcomes with one rule. Here's how: Early in my career, I noticed meetings were often unproductive. 50% of the time was wasted without a clear agenda. So, I started using a 6-step formula to run meetings. 1. Prepare a Clear Agenda ↳ Create and distribute it in advance ↳ Include key topics: progress updates, challenges, tasks, decisions ↳ Set clear objectives for the meeting 2. Focus on Key Updates and Issues ↳ Start by reviewing action items from the previous meeting ↳ Have team members provide brief updates on their tasks and progress ↳ Discuss any roadblocks, challenges, or risks ↳ Prioritize the most important items for discussion 3. Encourage Participation ↳ Actively engage all team members to share updates and insights ↳ Allow time for problem-solving and brainstorming solutions 4. Manage Time Effectively ↳ Stick to the scheduled time for each agenda item ↳ Keep the meeting focused and on-track ↳ Consider setting a time limit for individual updates 5. Document Outcomes and Next Steps ↳ Assign clear action items and owners for follow-up tasks ↳ Summarize key decisions made and next steps ↳ Share meeting minutes/notes with all attendees afterward 6. Follow Up on Action Items ↳ Track commitments and hold people accountable. ↳ Ensure decisions are acted upon to maintain momentum Save this meeting rule: clear agenda → effective outcomes. Implement like a pro → Run meetings like a boss

Over the years I’ve spent a lot of time observing meetings that go around in circles, with no clear decision or agreement being made. Often, it’s because the person leading the meeting lacks suitable tools or confidence to facilitate the meeting well. But just as often, it’s because participants come unprepared for what’s on the agenda. (This is frustratingly common amongst volunteer committees and Boards – but that’s a post for another day.) 👇 If you’re responsible for leading in-house meetings and you want to keep on-time and on-track, there’s a simple agenda format that can help. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟭:  List all the items that need to be covered in the meeting, then beside each item state how much time has been allocated for the discussion. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟮: Beside each time allocation, state whether the item is for Information, Discussion or Decision. 📝 𝘐𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘖𝘯𝘭𝘺 – In other words, this item is just FYI. The information will be sent ahead of time, we’ll assume you’ve read it, and we’ll only have a discussion if something needs clarification. 💬 𝘋𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 – We need to have a discussion about this item. Make sure you read the information and are up-to-date with what’s happening, so you can contribute in a meaningful way. ⚖️ 𝘋𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 – We need to make a decision about this item in the meeting, so we will be discussing it robustly. Make sure you read the information and do any homework you think is necessary to make a decision. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟯: Send out the agenda and any necessary pre-reading ahead of time. That way people know the level of preparation required for each item. 👇 In the meeting itself, make sure everyone has a copy of the agenda. If a specific agenda item gets to the end of it’s allocated time, check in with the group to see if they want to: a) Wind up the discussion and move to the next item, b) Delegate the item to a sub-committee to explore further after the meeting, or c) Keep going with the discussion. If the group decides they want to keep going with the discussion, they need to collectively decide which item they will take time away from. The action of ‘stealing time’ becomes a great exercise in prioritisation. It’s not a perfect framework, and it's not right for 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 meeting. But for the right meeting, with the right facilitation tools, it’s GOLD. 💥 P.S. The photo has absolutely nothing to do with the post—but fellow kiwis, how good was the weather yesterday?! 🌞⛱️ 🍦 #facilitation #facilitationskills #facilitationtraining #meetings #facilitator #thefacilitatorsnetwork