How to Prepare for Table Talk?

Each month includes a focused tool or exercise, so bring your real questions, not just your polished answers. Whether you're a seasoned trustee or new to board service, your lived experience matters here. Every session will follow the same order, except when guest facilitators are invited for deep dives on critical or technical issues. Here's the session road map:

• Welcome & Focus | The Board Practice for this Month.
• Guiding Question | Why This Month's Practice Matters to Boards.
• Conversation Starters & Practices | How to Deploy this Resource
• Table Talk Time | Open Collegial Conversations (Approximately 45 Mins)

Come ready to listen, reflect, and participate. Table Talk for Boards isn’t a lecture—it’s a working session designed to strengthen your board’s culture, clarity and connection.

Grounding Practices & How-To Tips:

• Show up curious, not certain. We're here to deep practice together, not to impress, complain nor defend.
• Ask for the meaning beneath the words. When language feels familiar or loaded, pause to explore what it might mean for someone else.
• Share airtime. Make space for quieter voices, speak from your experience.
• Focus on learning, not blaming nor exposing. Avoid exposing identities and drama. Describe your experience, your part. We’re here to surface patterns, not to assign fault or fix.
• Engage with real-world tensions. Bring what’s actually happening on your board—not just what you wish were true.