#7

The FOUnder Coach

The Five
Meetings
Every CEO
Should Lead

M T W Th F
Update

1-1s
Retro
All-hands Wins
 The Founder Coach

I can predict a CEO’s key concerns

just by seeing their meeting
schedule.

When certain meetings are missing,

the consequences are often
inevitable.

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 The Founder Coach

Key concerns often include

“The team don’t coordinate well
“The team don’t have clarity on what’s
important
“The team can’t see the big picture
“The team sit on feedback too long
“The team don’t feel their work is
being recognised”

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 The Founder Coach

Here are what I consider to be the

most important meetings every CEO
should include in their weekly or bi-
weekly agenda.

Together, these meetings form a

system that can address 90% of your
team’s issues.

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 The Founder Coach

1. Status update (for accountability)

This is where you and your team can

review what’s happened, align on the
plan for the coming week, and share
their blockers.

Team members can hold each other

accountable for executing their plans
by asking good questions.

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 The Founder Coach

The key to a great status update is

preparation.

When leaders arrive with their

metrics updated and a concise report
on key questions in their area (rather
than making it up on the spot), it
buys extra time for discussion and
collective problem-solving.

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 The Founder Coach

2. One-on-ones (for performance)

This is your opportunity to support

your leaders in achieving their goals,
and to reset expectations on both
sides.

You can help them reflect on key

challenges, identify ways to improve,
and clarify priorities.

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 The Founder Coach

The key to a great one-on-one is 


self-restraint.

The more you coach and help your

team find their own answers, the
better off you’ll be in the long run.

As my mentor once told me, ‘Coach

the person, not the problem.’

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 The Founder Coach

3. All-hands (for transparency)

Leaders give updates on each

department, make announcements,
and align around the company’s
mission and strategy.

It’s a chance to recognise key

milestones, answer questions, and
acknowledge the team’s hard work.

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 The Founder Coach

The key to a good all-hands is

curation.

Ask yourself, ‘What is really important

that every single person in the company
should know about?’

Keep it relevant so everyone is

engaged and energised.

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 My favourite
The Founder Coach

4. Retrospectives (for feedback)

Retros aren’t just for the tech team.

Done well, a retrospective allows any
team to listen to each other in safety.
A classic retro has three parts
What went well
What didn’t go well
How can we improve?

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 The Founder Coach

The key to a good retrospective is

empathy.

We’re all human and we all need

connection. By acknowledging
people’s successes, hearing their
frustrations, and making
improvements, the whole team leave
lighter and happier.

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 The Founder Coach

5. Friday Wins (for recognition)

In a ‘Friday Wins’ meeting, the team

come together at the end of each
week on a high note.

Every department tells — or, even

better, shows — something positive
that happened during the week.

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 The Founder Coach

The key to a good Friday Wins is

gratitude.

Gratitude is the antidote to a host of

negative emotions.

Naomi Williams famously said, ‘It’s

impossible to be grateful and depressed
in the same moment.’

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 The Founder Coach

In summary, here are the Five

Meetings of a CEO
Status update (for accountability
One-on-ones (for performance
All-hands (for transparency
Retrospectives (for feedback
Friday Wins (for recognition)

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 The Founder Coach

While they can take up 20% of your

time, they represent 80% of your
leverage as a CEO.

M T W Th F
Update
1-1s
Retro
All-hands Wins

DAVE-BAILEY.com
 The Founder Coach

After all, your results depend on

other people.

When you have your best people in

the same room, you have to make the
most of it.

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 #7 of 250
The Founder Coach

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