The Benefits of a Family Meeting and How You Can Host Your Own
Within a workplace or an organization, regular team meetings are a given. They keep people informed, help them achieve goals and ensure everyone is on the right track. Weekly meetings within a family can do the same.
Our family meeting is one of my favorite things we do as a together. It has dramatically improved our communication and connection. This weekly check-in is essential in building culture because it gives us an opportunity to see if we are spending our time and resources in a way that lines up with our family’s values. It also allows us to approach each week with a purpose.
What is a Family Business Meeting?
It’s a consistent time once a week when a family comes together to discuss the things that are important to them.
Family meeting will help you:
Solve problems. When we come together and talk about the issues we face, we are able to work together and find a solution.
Reduce stress. Stress, especially in children, can be created from uncertainty. Letting family members know what they can expect in the upcoming week, month, or season provides security, even if things don’t go as planned.
Build family togetherness. When family members have a consistent place for them to check in with one another, give and receive suggestions, and actively engage with one another they learn they are a part of something bigger than themselves.
Reinforce family culture and values. These meetings are an opportunity to revisit your mission statement and see if your schedule and decisions reflect your values.
Teach vital life skills. At a young age, your children will learn how to run a meeting, resolve conflicts, plan, and communicate effectively, both as you model it and them begin to do it themselves.
Much like the family retreat, you can begin holding these meetings when kids are old enough to sit for a short time and answer questions like, “Who do you want to have a playdate with?” “What do you want for dinner this week?” “What should we do when grandma and grandpa come over this weekend?”
When your kids are young, it is more about developing a rhythm of connection and communication as a family than the topics you discuss.
The length and topics of your meetings will change as your kids become capable of more in-depth discussion. Eventually, they can get involved. They can facilitate portions of the meeting and eventually direct your entire time together.
Tips for having a family business meeting:
Take the lead. Eventually, your kids can rotate into that role.
Be consistent. We recommend having a meeting once a week.
Schedule it. It is vital to put it on the calendar because it unlikely that you “find time” to do it.
Plan. Have an agenda or outline to keep your conversations on track. (Our Family Meeting Packet can help you with that.)
I encourage you to be flexible with these meetings. They’ll rarely be perfect. However, the more you do them, the more comfortable you all will get. Be patient with yourselves and others as you improve your communication.
No matter what your family meeting looks, they will reinforce your family culture, and keep you connected and informed as you live your values.
Interested in holding regular Family Meetings?
Save time in the planning by downloading our FREE Family Meeting Packet.
It includes:
Sample Agendas that you can use or mix and match to create your own.
Additional discussion topics
Meeting Agenda Suggestion Form for your family members to fill out in the days leading up to each meeting.
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