The short version: meet at the same time each week for 90 minutes. Spend 5 minutes each on a check-in, the scorecard, quarterly priorities, headlines and last week's to-dos. Spend 60 minutes solving the top issues one at a time. Use the last 5 minutes to repeat new to-dos, agree what to tell the rest of the company, and rate the meeting from 1 to 10.
The agenda
- 5 min0:00Check-inOne piece of good news from each person, personal and work. It gets everyone talking and paying attention.
- 5 min0:05ScorecardRead each weekly number against its goal. On track or off track, nothing more. Off-track numbers go on the issues list.
- 5 min0:10Quarterly prioritiesEach owner says on track or off track for each 90-day priority. Off-track priorities go on the issues list.
- 5 min0:15HeadlinesShort news about customers and employees that the team should know. Anything that needs a conversation goes on the issues list.
- 5 min0:20To-do reviewEach to-do from last week is done or not done. To-dos are seven-day promises, and most should be done.
- 60 min0:25Solve issuesPick the three most important issues, then solve them one at a time, starting with the first. Keep going down the list until time runs out.
- 5 min1:25Wrap upRepeat the new to-dos and who owns them, agree on anything to tell the rest of the company, and each person rates the meeting from 1 to 10.
Each part, minute by minute
The first 25 minutes are for reporting, not discussing. The moment someone starts explaining why a number is off, the facilitator moves it to the issues list. That single habit is what protects the hour for solving.
Why a scorecard and not a status update
A status round lets everyone describe their week. A scorecard gives the team 5 to 15 numbers with goals, read the same way every week. Patterns show up after a few weeks: a number that has been off three weeks in a row is a real issue, not a bad week.
Why priorities get only five minutes
Each priority is a 90-day commitment with one owner. The weekly check is simply whether it will be done by the end of the quarter. Status details only matter when it is off track, and then it becomes an issue to solve.
How to solve an issue
- Name the real problem. The first thing said is usually a symptom. Ask why until the team agrees on the actual cause, in one sentence.
- Talk it through once. Everyone says what they think, without repeating points already made. Stop when the discussion starts going in circles.
- Decide and assign. End with a decision and at least one to-do with an owner and a date, usually within the week. If it cannot be solved today, the to-do is to get what is missing.
Solving three issues completely is better than talking about ten. Issues left over stay on the list for next week.
Rules that keep it working
- Same day, same time, same agenda every week. Start on time and end on time.
- The facilitator keeps time and moves discussion to the issues list. Someone else keeps the notes.
- Phones and laptops stay closed unless they are running the meeting.
- Rate the meeting honestly. Anything under 8 is worth one sentence on why.
- The agenda times are a starting point. Some teams run 60 minutes with 40 for issues, and that is fine if the reviews still fit.
Running it in BOSS
BOSS runs this agenda with a shared timer for each part, so everyone in the room or on the call sees the same part and the same clock. The scorecard, priorities, headlines, to-dos and issues are on screen when their part comes up. New to-dos and issues are added in the meeting, and the recap is ready the moment it ends.
- Rename the parts and change the minutes to match the method your team already uses.
- Repeat weekly, every other week, or on certain weeks of the month, with calendar invites that follow the same rule.
- Bring in notes from the room, a Microsoft Teams transcript, or a live note-taker in Teams, Zoom or Google Meet that suggests to-dos for someone to accept.
- Run a daily huddle on the same numbers, and quarterly planning sessions when the quarter turns.
Questions
How long should a weekly leadership meeting be?
Ninety minutes is a common length for a leadership team of 4 to 8 people: 25 minutes of reviews, 60 minutes solving issues and 5 minutes to wrap up. Smaller teams often run 60 minutes.
What should be on a weekly leadership meeting agenda?
A check-in, the weekly scorecard, quarterly priorities, headlines about customers and employees, last week's to-dos, solving the most important issues, and a wrap up with new to-dos, what to tell the company and a 1 to 10 rating.
How do you stop a weekly meeting from becoming a status update?
Keep the reviews to on track or off track and move every discussion to the issues list. The time saved goes to solving the top issues, one at a time, until each ends with a decision and an owner.
Can I print this agenda?
Yes. Print this page and the agenda prints on its own. In BOSS, the agenda, the timers and the notes are built in, and the recap prints from the meeting page.