The hardest discussions to table are interesting, relevant topics that aren’t critical.
I find most meetings cover important topics in-depth, leaving critical ones for the last few minutes. Simple questions easily lead to everyone chiming in. Challenges are often listed, but rarely stack ranked.
This seems especially true for board meetings. Board members want their questions answered, and few CEOs feel comfortable tabling most questions… even if doing exactly that would accomplish the most.
Idea: take note of all non-critical questions and provide written answers within 3 days of a meeting?