We are all busy: business, social, philanthropy activities abound. Organizing family meetings can be a challenge, especially when the organizer is hoping to have 100% attendance. With this organizational challenge, oft times a lot of pressure is placed on ensuring a productive agenda. Maybe an agenda is not needed for every family meeting?

Sometimes important family meetings may be without an agenda. One solution, the family vacation. The vacation has only one agenda – together time. This provides an opportunity for siblings to reconnect, cousins to get to know each other and generations to share ideas and thoughts. One family wisely has learned that if vacation tickets are paid for, family members will come.

As contrived as it may seem, some large families will bring in a facilitator to some part of the vacation to lead activities which can include games and story times about the family enterprise. All of this is done with the intent of keeping the family communicating and working together.

A few examples: the Bush clan and Kennebunkport, the Kennedy family and the Kennedy Compound in Cape Cod and the Obama family and Kailua, Hawaii.

This is just one approach to facilitate family meetings that you may consider.

Learn, think, apply!!