Official “Guesting” Policy

The Trusted Advisors Council (“TAC”) strongly encourages participation at each group meeting by individuals who are not members of that group.  This process – known as “guesting” – is the optimal method for TAC members to get to know members of other groups, and for group members to evaluate the personality and “fit” of prospective members.  As suggested, “guesting” typically takes one of two forms:  (1) a TAC member who attends a meeting of a group other than the group to which he or she belongs; or (2) a prospective member who attends a meeting of a group to which he or she eventually hopes to matriculate.  Because these two “guesting” scenarios are unique, TAC has different policies that apply to each particular type of “guesting.”

Guesting by TAC Members

Guesting by TAC members is the best and most efficient method of fostering interaction and exchange between the members of different TAC groups.  During any calendar year, each TAC member is invited to attend – as a guest – up to four (4) meetings of each TAC group to which that member does not belong.  The only further limitation placed on a TAC member’s ability to attend meetings of other groups is that no TAC member may attend more than two (2) meetings in a row of a TAC group to which he or she does not belong.

Guesting by Prospective TAC Members

Guesting by prospective TAC members is a necessary prerequisite for TAC membership.  It allows a particular group to learn more about a prospective member, and further enables that group to determine whether the prospective member would be a good fit for the group based on attitude, demeanor, and overall ability to contribute.  Although discussed more fully in connection with TAC’s policy for admission, prospective members must attend at least two (2) meetings as a guest before they can be considered for membership in a particular TAC group.

To attend a meeting of a particular TAC group as a guest, a prospective member needs two things:  (1) an invitation from an active member in good standing of TAC; and (2) the permission of the leader of that TAC group.  Where a current TAC member identifies a prospective TAC member that he or she wishes to invite to a group meeting as a guest, the current TAC member will immediately alert the leader of the group in which the prospective member has interest, whereupon the current TAC member and the group leader will confer and determine whether the prospective member can be invited to the group meeting as a guest.  The approval of both the TAC member and the group leader is required, and only upon receiving this dual approval can a prospective member be registered to attend a meeting of that particular TAC group as a guest.

In no instance may a prospective member invite himself or herself to a group meeting, nor may he or she register for a meeting of any TAC group without first obtaining both an invitation from a current TAC member in good standing and the permission of the leader of the TAC group whose meeting the prospective member wishes to attend.