FRIENDSHIP BENCH HOST SCHEDULE
2025 DATES
Jan 2 Mark for Paul
Jan 9 Phil
Jan 16 Dennis
Jan 23 Mark for Melissa
Jan 30 Mac
Feb 6 Melissa for Mark
Feb 13 Phil
Feb 20 Dennis
Feb 27 Melissa
Mar 6 Mac
Mar 13 Mark for Paul
Mar 20 Phil
Mar 27 Dennis
Apr 3 Melissa 5TH ANNIVERSARY BENCH
Apr 10 Mac
Apr 17 Dennis for Byron
Apr 24 Phil
May 1 Dennis
May 8 Melissa
May 15 Mac
May 22| Byron for Paul
May 29 Phil
Jun 5 Dennis
Jun 12 Melissa
Jun 19 Mac
Jun 26 Byron for Paul
Jul 3 Phil
Jul 10 Dennis
Jul 17 Melissa
Jul 24 Mac
Jul 31 Byron for Paul
Aug 7 Phil
Aug 14 Dennis
Aug 21 Melissa
Aug 28 Mac
Sep 4 Byron for Paul
Sep 11 Phii
Sep 18 Dennis
Sep 25 Melissa
Oct 2 Mac
Oct 9 Byron for Paul
Oct 16 Phil
Oct 23 Dennis
Oct 30 Melissa
Nov 6 Mac
Nov 13 Byron for Paul
Nov 20 Phil
Nov 27 Dennis THANKSGIVING
Dec 4 Melissa
Dec 11 Mac
Dec 18 Byron for Paul
Dec 25 Phil CHRISTMAS
- Primary Hosts take the baton sequentially throughout the year (every 5th week). Unavoidable conflict with your scheduled Hosting week? –Simply swap with another Host. And if you just can’t work it out, I will always step up to take your week. PLEASE update Dennis with any agreed swaps.
- Please relay your discussion topic to Dennis no later than Tuesday same week for mashup development time.
- Our 360° NATION Meeting Room will always be open 15 minutes prior to our scheduled 11:30 AM EST Start time. Please join early to welcome our friends, particularly newcomers.
- IMPORTANT: Zoom Room Security
- Everyone joining our Meeting Room must first enter our Waiting Room, allowing us to individually admit. Please do not admit anyone who's name you do not recognize, as the risk of "bots" entering Zoom Meetings is increasing, and we've had a few stop by. As Host/Co-Host, you can exchange message with anyone in our Waiting Room to ascertain who they are before admitting. When in doubt, don't admit.
- In the event that a bot is discovered in a Meeting, please remove & select REPORT to Zoom option.
- For the same reason that we do not record our Meetings, we do not allow (admit) AI Meeting Notetakers (e.g. Otter.ai, Fireflies.ai, Fathom, Microsoft OneNote, etc.). If you notice a Notetaker, please remove it from the Meeting.
- If I (Dennis) am present, I will take care of ALL of the above.
- Don't hesitate to use Breakout Rooms now and then, as they are particularly welcomed by Bench newbies as well as many of our resident Benchwarmers.
- Bring your tribe = more friends, more voices, more diversity.
- Bring a Special Guest Co-Host = more friends, more voices, more diversity.
- Show up as often as you can to support your fellow Hosts during your non-scheduled weeks.
360° NATION ZOOM ROOM ACCESS: In the event that Dennis is unable to join the Bench and open the 360° NATION Zoom Room, please log out of Zoom on your end and then use the following credentials to open the Room at 11:15 AM Eastern: Email: [email protected] | Password: 360NationNow
DISCUSSION FORMAT/MODERATION
- Less Presentation/More Conversation/Zero Promotion
- Welcome everyone, particularly newcomers. Encourage newcomers to place their LinkedIn URL in Chat Stream to connect with everyone.
- Briefly set the stage for your Discussion (If you have a Guest Co-Host, introduce/let them set the stage).
- Share one or more open-ended questions with the group (insert all questions in the Chat Stream).
- Encourage everyone to use RAISE HAND Emoticon when wishing to speak. Make sure everyone has a chance to speak/ask those who have already spoken to move to the back of the line.
- Follow Chat Stream comments and use them to stoke further discussion.
- Reel in long-winded dissertations to preserve equal time for all.
- Breakout Rooms are encouraged, but remain entirely at the discretion of the Host. If used, make sure each Room nominates someone to bring highlights back to the main session.
- Conclude Discussion/Pass back to Dennis at circa 12:28 PM for closing comments & mashup quote.
- Primary Hosts take the baton sequentially throughout the year (every 5th week). Unavoidable conflict with your scheduled Hosting week? –Simply swap with another Host. And if you just can’t work it out, I will always step up to take your week. PLEASE update Dennis with any agreed swaps.
- Please relay your discussion topic to Dennis no later than Tuesday same week for mashup development time.
- Our 360° NATION Meeting Room will always be open 15 minutes prior to our scheduled 11:30 AM EST Start time. Please join early to welcome our friends, particularly newcomers.
- IMPORTANT: Zoom Room Security
- Everyone joining our Meeting Room must first enter our Waiting Room, allowing us to individually admit. Please do not admit anyone who's name you do not recognize, as the risk of "bots" entering Zoom Meetings is increasing, and we've had a few stop by. As Host/Co-Host, you can exchange message with anyone in our Waiting Room to ascertain who they are before admitting. When in doubt, don't admit.
- In the event that a bot is discovered in a Meeting, please remove & select REPORT to Zoom option.
- For the same reason that we do not record our Meetings, we do not allow (admit) AI Meeting Notetakers (e.g. Otter.ai, Fireflies.ai, Fathom, Microsoft OneNote, etc.). If you notice a Notetaker, please remove it from the Meeting.
- If I (Dennis) am present, I will take care of ALL of the above.
- Don't hesitate to use Breakout Rooms now and then, as they are particularly welcomed by Bench newbies as well as many of our resident Benchwarmers.
- Bring your tribe = more friends, more voices, more diversity.
- Bring a Special Guest Co-Host = more friends, more voices, more diversity.
- Show up as often as you can to support your fellow Hosts during your non-scheduled weeks.
360° NATION ZOOM ROOM ACCESS: In the event that Dennis is unable to join the Bench and open the 360° NATION Zoom Room, please log out of Zoom on your end and then use the following credentials to open the Room at 11:15 AM Eastern: Email: [email protected] | Password: 360NationNow
DISCUSSION FORMAT/MODERATION
- Less Presentation/More Conversation/Zero Promotion
- Welcome everyone, particularly newcomers. Encourage newcomers to place their LinkedIn URL in Chat Stream to connect with everyone.
- Briefly set the stage for your Discussion (If you have a Guest Co-Host, introduce/let them set the stage).
- Share one or more open-ended questions with the group (insert all questions in the Chat Stream).
- Encourage everyone to use RAISE HAND Emoticon when wishing to speak. Make sure everyone has a chance to speak/ask those who have already spoken to move to the back of the line.
- Follow Chat Stream comments and use them to stoke further discussion.
- Reel in long-winded dissertations to preserve equal time for all.
- Breakout Rooms are encouraged, but remain entirely at the discretion of the Host. If used, make sure each Room nominates someone to bring highlights back to the main session.
- Conclude Discussion/Pass back to Dennis at circa 12:28 PM for closing comments & mashup quote.