Tachles Series - Benzi Ronen shares insight, anecdotes, and expert hacks for Israeli entrepreneurs looking to grow their business in the US.
Find out how to:
Hold an interesting company-wide meeting.
Engage team members working on different teams in different locations.
Empower team members by creating the opportunity to lead an all-hands meeting.
Nu, get to the point:
The Israeli sense of bravado leaves many entrepreneurs feeling like success — or failure — rides entirely on their shoulders. The feeling could be rooted in any number of things: the pioneering spirit (חלוץ) of those who formed and built the Kibbutz, or maybe the resolve required to lead troops on the front lines.
Regardless, most Israeli entrepreneurs make themselves the focal point when it comes to running an all-hands meeting. As leaders, we feel our job is to put on our best game face, and (no matter the reality) paint a rosy picture for the rest of the company. There’s a routine: amp up the troops, hammer in the company mission, roll out updates, and maybe even get a few “Hoo-Rah” chants going.
Played out over and over again, it becomes incredibly draining for the entrepreneur. And, critically, forcing yourself into the role of cheerleader makes it hard to show vulnerability and empathy — which in turn creates a culture where it’s difficult for team members to share their doubts or concerns.
At one point, I shared this frustration with my senior management team at Farmigo. They suggested that I pass the role of hosting the meeting to someone else, and only participate as needed — in other words, to take a back seat.
One of our more charismatic VPs led the next all-hands and knocked it out of the park. It was a massive success, and completely changed the energy and perception of the meeting. It was no longer a rote announcement of corporate updates — it was a way for everyone to connect during the workweek. Looking back, that shift marked an important transition point, where the company grew beyond something organized around me, and took on a life of its own.
The other single biggest game-changer? The addition of a segment we called the "Hot Seat," which hands-down got the most laughs from everyone. By the time I would get up and present business updates, the crowd would be warmed up, happy, engaged, and ready to hear what was around the corner.
HACKS
Pick a Hot Seat Host (and Guests)
Find someone in the company to take on the role of weekly Hot Seat moderator. They’ll be playing the role of talk show host, interviewing a new guest every week — though in this case, the guest is one of your employees. If your teams are working from different offices, try rotating where the guest is coming from to encourage a feeling of closeness. Where possible, it’s best to have the moderator sync up with a site visit at that location, though someone local can temporarily take on the role of moderator as needed.
Run Your Lines
At Farmigo, we started by asking guests to explain what their team did, and how it helped the company achieve its goals — it was the perfect way to help foster cross-departmental understanding. The moderator should also prepare ahead of time by making sure they know the “guest” well enough to have a sense of what to ask them, in order to get the best stories. It’s helpful to create a list of both personal and professional questions in advance.
Do a Pre-Show Check
If your team members will be dialing in from different offices, invest in setting up the appropriate multimedia experience. Ensure that everyone can see the entire team in every office, as well as any WFH attendees. I suggest setting things up so that the Hot Seat has a camera of its own, allowing the moderator and guest to be the focus. This isn’t always easy to figure out — but it’s important to get right.
Go Out With a Bang
The moderator should end the interview on a high note — something actionable and inspiring that brings everyone listening closer together. In our case, it was to ask the guest what all the team members listening in could do that would make it easier for them (and their department) to do their job. Applause ensues, everyone leaves happy.
Good luck!
Well done. Real-world pragmatic and specific, yet thoughtful advice for a successful all-hands.