by Moira Dunne
We all complain that we spend too much time in meetings. Meetings can also be energy sapping and affect our focus when we return to our desk. So do you want to revamp the meetings within your business? Be Productive with Stand-Up meetings. Try this alternative to shake things up a little!
Why Stand-Up Meetings?
The concept is simple; standing up is uncomfortable, so Stand-Up meetings encourage people to be concise,
keep to the point and keep the discussion moving. They work because they allow a team leader get regular updates from the team. They also give the team an opportunity to raise issues as they crop up.
When Introducing Stand-Ups
Here are some tips to maximise your chance of success:
- Be clear about the aim before starting. Expect some team members to be uncomfortable initially until things settle down. But uncomfortable can be okay as long as it doesn’t tun into stress or avoidance.
- Be open with the team and encourage their input and feedback on the process as well as the content being discussed.
- Decide the best frequency to suit the work of the team: daily may be too often, weekly may
be too infrequent. Stand-up meetings need to be short, typically 10 to 15 minutes works
best.
Approach
During the meeting, each member of the team speaks in turn. Here are 3 key points to
cover:
- What they did yesterday?
- What they plan to do today?
- What obstacles or problems they are facing?
The final point is the most important because a stand-up meeting provides a mechanism for teams to share work issues and get support from each other.
The focus here is always on progress – if a team member is stuck or overloaded, is there something a colleague can do to help?
Importance of Tracking
Remember the biggest gripe about meetings is lack of progress and outcomes. Be Productive with Stand-Up Meetings to avoid this. Using an update board or tracker gives the team a focus. It also works as a physical collection point. If managed correctly the board can also work as an accountability and motivational tool too.
Be Productive in Meetings
We all need to work on our meeting skills. So be productive with Stand-Up Meetings to gain better engagement, outcomes and results. If you have tried Stand-Ups before I would love to hear your tips in the comments below.
