The Operator’s Playbook on Board Meetings

Step 1: Give them homework (they won't do it, and that's the point) 📚

This strategy comes straight from The Mochary Method, and it's brilliant in its simplicity. This is directly from the write-up:

That’s the genius part: Most board members won't actually do the homework. And that's exactly what you want.

When someone hasn't done the pre-read, they can't give you meaningful unsolicited advice. They literally don't have enough context to derail your meeting with half-baked suggestions.

Step 2: With the homework, send out a memo. 📝

Five days before your board meeting, as you send out the homework in Step 1, send out a comprehensive board memo with this exact language:

Have your Chief of Staff prepare the board memo. Here’s what they should include:

• Highlights from the past quarter (what went well - separate into categories, e.g.: product, hiring, etc.)

• Lowlights from the past quarter (what didn't go well)

• What's ahead (priorities for next quarter)

• Key metrics and KPIs with context about performance

• Any specific decisions where you want input (bold these sections)

Think investor update but with more meat. Use bullet points, not paragraphs. Make it scannable.

SIDENOTE: Skip the deck, embrace the memo 💡

🤔 ”Regina, why a memo and not a deck?”

9 times out of 10, I encourage my coachees to do a memo rather than a deck.

A memo is easy to read and you can put full context in it.

With a deck, you spend a lot of time creating something pretty that doesn’t necessarily have a lot of substance.

Instead, the memo becomes your presentation. You walk through it section by section, elaborate on the key points, and use the meeting time for discussion rather than information transfer.

This approach is more efficient and keeps everyone focused on the same document. Plus, if someone missed a detail, they can reference the memo instead of asking you to repeat yourself.

Almost every investor I know prefers memos over decks.

Step 3: Your CoS is your board meeting MVP 🏆

If you don't have a Chief of Staff helping you prepare for board meetings, you're doing this on hard mode. Here's how they should support you:

Pre-meeting preparation:

• Draft the initial board memo (you review and edit - see above)

• Schedule a full run-through 2-3 days before the meeting - make sure this happens, so you aren’t caught like a deer in headlights!

• Prepare a list of the toughest potential questions

• Take notes during your practice session on where you're shaky

• Help you tighten up talking points and fill in missing data

During the meeting:

• Take detailed notes on all feedback and questions

• Track time and gently keep you on schedule

• Handle any logistics or follow-up items that come up

Post-meeting:

• Send a summary of key takeaways and action items

• Draft follow-up communications to board members

• Start planning for the next meeting based on what worked/didn't work

Step 4: Control the agenda like your sanity depends on it 🎮

Your board meeting should follow this structure, with your Chief of Staff moderating how the time is spent.

Opening:

• Agenda overview and time allocation

• Ask the board members if they did the pre-read and homework. If not, suggest everyone take 10 minutes to silently read and comment on the memo.

Performance review:

• Metrics walkthrough with your analysis

• Major wins and challenges

• Progress against last quarter's goals

Strategic discussion:

• Only discuss the bolded items from your memo

• Ask specific questions where you genuinely want input

• Focus on areas where board members have actual domain expertise

Next steps:

• Upcoming priorities

• Any decisions or approvals needed

• Action items (mostly for you, not them)

Wrap-up:

• Quick round of any final thoughts

• Gratitude and feedback for the CEO and board

Step 5: How to handle unsolicited advice diplomatically 🤝

When board members inevitably give you advice you didn't ask for, here's your playbook:

If it's short advice:

1. Make them feel heard: "What I heard you say was... is that right?"

2. Thank them: "I appreciate that perspective"

3. Move on: "I’ll definitely take that into consideration,” then keep moving

If you can tell it's going to be a long tangent:

This script is magic because you're:

• Acknowledging there's an agenda (you're in control)

• Agreeing it's important (not dismissing them)

• Redirecting to a more efficient format (positioning yourself as organized) 

Step 6: Be strategic about when you actually want advice 🎯

Here's when you should genuinely solicit board input:

• Domain expertise questions: If you're building a consumer product and have a board member with deep consumer experience

• Pattern recognition: "Have you seen this before? What happened?"

• Gut checks: "Does this strategy feel directionally right to you?"

• Network access: "Do you know anyone who's solved this problem?"

What you should NOT ask for advice on:

• Day-to-day operational decisions

• Hiring choices for roles they've never done

• Product features or roadmap priorities

• Anything where you already know what you want to do

Remember: you're not looking for them to tell you what to do. You're looking for context, pattern recognition, and occasionally, introductions.

The goal of soliciting advice isn't actually to get great advice. It's to make board members feel useful, which makes them happy, which makes your life easier. 

Final thoughts: You're running the show

Board meetings don't have to be stressful performance reviews where you hope to avoid disappointing people. They should be efficient information-sharing sessions where you maintain control of the agenda and use board members' expertise strategically.

Your company needs you focused on building, not stressed about managing board members' egos. Use this playbook to flip the dynamic in your favor.

And remember what I wrote about in Run Efficient Meetings that Don't Suck: the same principles that make any meeting effective apply here too. Come prepared, stick to the agenda, and don't let anyone derail the conversation.

Most operators I coach tell me it's the single best advice they've implemented.

Try it for your next board meeting and let me know how it goes. I promise you'll walk out feeling like you actually controlled the room instead of surviving it.

Until next time,

And if you’re reading this - you're already ahead.

Because you know where to find the stuff that’s actually good. Like my templates and resources, and this newsletter.

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About Regina Gerbeaux

Shortly after her role as Chief of Staff, then COO, she opened her own coaching practice, Coaching Founder, and has worked with outrageously talented operators on teams like Delphi AI, dYdX, Astronomer, Fanatics Live, and many more companies backed by funds like Sequoia and Andreessen Horowitz.

Her open-sourced write-ups on Operational Excellence and how to run a scaling company can be found here and her templates can be found here.

She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her partner, daughter, and dog, and can be found frequenting 6:00AM Orangetheory classes or hiking trails nearby.