beam-ai-team/allhands-prep

All-Hands Preparation

Helps prepare structured, energizing all-hands meetings following Beam's established guidelines and format.

Workflow

1. Understand the Context

Ask the user:

• Theme: What's the one clear theme for this all-hands? (e.g., "Customer Obsession", "Execution Standards", "Strategic Shift")
• Date: When is the all-hands scheduled?
• Goal: What behavioral shift or outcome do you want from the team?
• Previous all-hands: Any context from recent all-hands that this projects on or contrasts with?

2. Structure the Meeting

Follow the standard structure (25-35 minutes max):

| Section | Duration | Purpose | |---------|----------|---------| | Opening | 2 mins | Set energy and theme | | Team Updates | 5-7 mins | Quick wins and what's coming | | Main Topic | 10-15 mins | Core message of this all-hands | | The Ask | 3 mins | What we need from everyone | | Close | 2 mins | Land the message, create momentum |

3. Draft Content

For each section, help draft:

• Opening: Quick energy check, connect to mission/values, introduce theme
• Team Updates: Remind leads of format (60-90 sec: one shipped, one coming, one number)
• Main Topic: Frame the why, make it concrete with examples, show team effort, connect to values
• The Ask: Specific asks for each team (Engineering, Solutions, Product, GTM)
• Close: One memorable line that lands the message

4. Create Prep Checklist

Generate checklist with:

• 1 week before: Confirm theme, identify speakers, start deck
• 3 days before: Slides complete, notify department leads, prep featured speakers
• 1 day before: Run-through with speakers, final slide review, calendar reminder
• Day of: Tech check 10 mins before, start on time

5. Slide Outline

Suggest 8-10 slides max:

1. Title (Theme + Beam logo)
2. Mission/values connection
3. Framework or model (if applicable)
4. Team effort visual
5. Customer/example slides (1 per example, keep tight)
6. The Ask (what we need from each team)
7. Close (one memorable line)

Key Principles

Respect time: 25-35 minutes max. If it can't be said in 35 minutes, it's too much.

One message: People remember one thing. Make sure you know what that one thing is.

Show, don't tell: Real examples > abstract concepts. Name names. Share specifics.

Energy is contagious: The tone you bring is the tone the team will carry out.

Forward motion only: All-hands should leave people energized to act, not drained.

Tone Guidelines

• Energy level: 8/10 - Fired up, but not manic. Confident, not desperate.
• Pace: Brisk - Don't linger. Forward motion in delivery mirrors forward motion in message.
• Be specific - No vague "let's do our best" - actual examples, actual names, actual expectations.

What to Avoid

❌ "We're going to try to..." → Say "We're doing..." ❌ "I hope everyone can..." → Say "Here's what I need from you..." ❌ "Does this sound good?" → Say "This is the direction. Questions?" ❌ Long explanations of problems → Brief context, then focus on solutions

References

• references/guidelines.md - Complete Beam all-hands guidelines
• references/template.md - Standard all-hands structure template

Output

Create a markdown document with:

• Meeting structure with timing
• Talking points for each section
• Slide outline
• Prep checklist
• Open questions to resolve

Save to 03-projects/01-ceo-office-automation-system/03-working/allhands-prep-[date].md or user-specified location.