Q: One of the people in my Forum is a local celebrity. They keep asking for special concessions and considerations. How do the rest of us navigate this?
– Puja S.
A: In Forum, as in life, special consideration must be given to certain individuals for one reason or another. For example, an attorney may be required by a judge to appear in court at the same time as a Forum meeting, or a doctor might need to tend to a critically ill patient at a moment’s notice. Similarly, a celebrity may be on an extended tour that causes them to miss multiple meetings.
The good news is that unique situations for celebrity members don’t necessarily spell disaster! Many Forums have worked around special member requirements to keep their group whole and healthy.
Each situation must be reviewed individually. Keep in mind that above all, a Forum is a group of peers who can rely on each other and hold each other accountable. If the rules are ignored for one member, it becomes nearly impossible to uphold the rules for everyone else. Forum requires commitment from all members, regardless of profession, rank, or status. It’s important that each member (celebrity or not) realizes and embraces the commitment.
To work through a celebrity member situation, have a discussion with the entire Forum at an upcoming meeting. The Moderator should lead the discussion, and the celebrity member should be notified in advance so they don’t feel blindsided. The ultimate goal is to identify the type of special handling required. Figure out how or if the celebrity member can be integrated into the Forum in a fair and equitable manner.
Here are a few possible solutions to accommodate the member’s celebrity status:
- Make the celebrity an “honorary” Forum member. This means they don’t attend the regular meetings, but they can join in the Forum’s social activities and perhaps a special annual meeting where they give a presentation that delivers value to the entire Forum.
- Change the cadence of meetings. For example, full-day meetings once per quarter may reduce scheduling challenges.
- Allow the celebrity member to attend a limited number of meetings virtually.
As with all Forums, the members must determine the group’s purpose and what brings them all value. Write a mission statement to clarify the purpose and ensure that decisions about membership (including celebrity members) enable to Forum to uphold that mission statement. Periodically, hold check-ins with the members to make sure the process is working for everyone.
Hope this helps!