I’m calling for the ban of the adage of weekly team meetings. These are an artifact of the past. The new meeting? A stand-up 10-minute daily huddle.
Why do you ask? Well let me list the reasons why:
- As technology advances, we have less time to respond to things, so we can’t always wait until the next team meeting to address something
- It allows everyone to have a voice every day.
- You save 10 minutes in your week ( yes that’s right, I’m counting minutes)
- It allows you to disseminate information to the team as you get it. Studies show people learn and retain things in smaller chunks so instead of taking 20 minutes a week to update on new processes and policies etc, you can hand it out in small chunks
- It promotes the sense of a team
- It promotes problem-solving
Okay- have I sold you on it yet?
Let me describe what I mean by a 10-minute daily huddle. This should occur at the same time each and every day. You, the manager, should run it, and if you aren’t there delegate a substitute to run it in your place.
- Announce the huddle is happening (Overhead page, gather everyone up etc)
- Use the first minutes to cover KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) updated through yesterday with the team.
- Note anything that needs to be addressed or solved.
- Go over kudos or positive team reinforcement.
- Turn it over to team members to add barriers, challenges, positive messages etc
- Finish with any handouts or items for the team that you need to cover
This can be a change for employees and once they get into the routine of it, they will appreciate the efficacy and ability to get their message out.
When do you plan to implement your huddle? Have you tried it previously?
