Lakshmi Patel is the new CEO at a medical center. The agenda for her first meeting with the senior management team includes the following questions: 

• What has been the primary purpose of the senior management meetings in the past? What was discussed? What was accomplished? 

• What do you want to be the primary purpose of these meetings moving forward? What should we discuss? What should we accomplish? 

• What meeting format do you prefer? Do you think that format will enable us to better meet our goals? 

• Do each of you have a clear understanding of your roles? Do each of you help one another? How much cooperation and sharing should we expect from this team?

Questions 

1. You are one of Lakshmi’s vice presidents. How would you answer these questions? 

2. Should Lakshmi discuss these questions privately with each senior management member before raising them in the full group meeting (and therefore getting more open feedback than in an open meeting)? If so, how should she proceed after these private meetings?