How to Have More Productive Stand-up Meetings

'The majority of meetings should be discussions that lead to decisions.' — Patrick Lencioni

The term "stand up" was coined as these meetings are typically conducted on foot.?

However, it has evolved to mean any short (between 5-15 minutes), regularly scheduled meeting usually held at the start of the day - making it an excellent format for those working remotely. It might be held with a particular team or include representatives from different departments.?

The main objectives of stand-up meetings are to help employees prioritize their goals for the day and address any obstacles they are currently facing to open up the opportunity for collaboration.?

Here are 7 best practices for holding short, effective stand-up meetings with your team.

1- Set clear ground rules

The value managers get from stand-up meetings is rooted in speed and efficiency.? However, the biggest challenge that leaders encounter is the tendency for participants to lose sight of the get-in, get-out mindset, turning what is supposed to be a quick briefing into a full-blow discussion.?

Here are suggested ground rules for stand-up meetings:

- Set a time limit for individuals to speak and the meeting.

- Start on time, every time.

- Expect representatives to come prepared. If regular participants cannot attend, send a backup if possible.

- Stay focused and on-task for the 10-15 minutes you are together.

2- Where to Hold a Stand-Up??

Making people stand for 15 minutes in the same place will keep them on task.? After those 15 minutes, people will be itching to get moving again.? And, let’s face it, a relaxed setting to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee just invites someone to tell a good (time-consuming) story, which is the opposite of productivity.

3- Find a time that works for everyone

If participants struggle to attend due to conflicts or logistical challenges, it will erode the value of the meeting entirely.

4- Have a clear agenda

The most productive meetings have a clear and set agenda.?

The best way to stay on track during your standup is to set a timer and stick to it. Of course, this means you have to start on time—sometimes, no matter who is missing from the meeting.?

- Focus on the process.

- Focus on people.

- Make sure you don’t go off-topic (unless there’s a good reason). To prevent team members from getting off track, don’t hesitate to quickly remind participants that the goal of the discussion is to exchange critical information and let people get back to work.

- Take a moment to let each participant speak or ask questions before dismissing everyone.

5- Have a task priority ranking system

Covering the most important matters of the day helps to know which tasks take priority.

You can do this by polling your team in a group chat before the meeting every morning and having them rank the ongoing projects and tasks.

Show the results at the meeting and use them to set the agenda and focus everyone’s status update. This was a fun one that enlightened us about what each person thought was important (or not) and kept us super aligned.

6- Keep groups small and streamlined

If you have a 15-minute stand-up with more than 15 people, your team will have less than a minute to talk. It also means that people will be much less likely to stay engaged.

With small and streamlined groups, it’s easier to make sure everyone present is relevant and can get the most out of the meeting.

7- Sideline, big topics for another time

Special issues that require more comprehensive discussion and analysis should be sidelined.? For instance, if you notice it’s the fourth day in a row that sales missed expectations, you should probably investigate why – but the stand-up meeting is not the place to do it.? Maintain discipline in the stand-up meeting and schedule a separate time for the larger discussion.

WEEKLY VOCABULARY ??

??Unproductive: not effective in bringing something about; not yielding results, benefits, or profits.

??Enlightened: having or showing a rational, modern, and well-informed outlook.

??Team-building: the process of causing a group of people to work together effectively as a team, especially by means of activities and events designed to increase motivation and promote cooperation.

??Nonsense: spoken or written words that have no meaning or make no sense.

??Methodical: done according to a systematic or established form of procedure.

PHRASAL VERBS ?

??Draw up: to prepare something official, for example, a contract, in writing.

“Now that we have agreed on the details, I’ll draw up the contract and send it to you tomorrow.”

??Jot down: write something quickly on a piece of paper so that you remember it.

“I jotted down most of the details from the meeting to help me relate it to the team.”

IDIOMS ??

??To put (someone) in the picture: starting to include someone in a specific dialogue or getting involved with an existing project.

??To bring your 'A' game: this is a sport saying that has wiggled its way into business terminology. If your coworker or boss asks you to get your 'A' game, you must bring your best efforts.?

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