Get up…stand up! Its meeting time! – Huddle
Imagine putting your money on a rugby team that didn’t meet for a quick huddle? Unless you wanted to lose your money. I’ve learnt a few things from this simple routine. The benefits are many, one of them include better team alignment, not to mention some added fun — something we could all use a little more of. If your team hasn’t adopted standing up during meetings yet, give it a try.
So, what’s to talk about that needs to be discussed daily?
As each person has a role and area of responsibility, this is the best time to get individual status updates. It leads to greater commitment amongst the team, and ensures task accountability from each person.
Who gets to speak first?
Lighten the tension by using a few fun games such as pass the ball, where the person who last had the ball the previous day starts the huddle. By throwing the ball, that person has decided who goes next. If that doesn’t work, try to do the huddle in a clockwise or anti clockwise direction. “Last idea” is also a bag of fun, the last team member to join the huddle in the day before, becomes the first one to speak, then the second last one, and so on. Simple enough right!
Now for the detail, here are a few ideas of what you should be covering at a very high level in order to ensure your team is aligned:
- What did you accomplish yesterday/last week?
- Top 3 priorities for the day/week
- Review the team’s top 3 metrics
- Share obstacles that you need help in (but team members should help after the huddle, not during!)
- Recognize other team members’ accomplishments
- Share personal project wins
- Customer updates (including internal customers)
Because the above is not cast in stone, your team has the opportunity to constantly review and evolve the huddle process.
How long is the Huddle?
Your are probably thinking an hour to go through in detail? If that’s what going through your head then you are in the wrong meeting, we are here for our 15 minute huddle session! By keeping the huddle to 15 minutes, ensures everything is kept to the point and only the important is communicated. 15 Minutes every morning leaves the team motivated and ready to execute on what matters.
If I could, I would play AC DC’s Back in Black right now to get you fired up too! Now you know my recipe for the daily success, let’s conclude just like we’d conclude a huddle…
On the count of three say ‘I will implement a daily huddle!’
One-two-three…‘I will implement a daily huddle!’
T – together
E – everyone
A – achieves
M – more
Share your morning tactics; I would like to hear from you too!
