5 “Must-Dos” At Every Team Meeting

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’ve been leading team meetings for over 15 years. 

Even before Elevate was born in [2011], I was working for other organizations as a leader, and therefore, leading team meetings.

Of course, I’ve also been a part of team meetings that I wasn’t leading…so needless to say, I’ve seen it all when it comes to these incredibly important gatherings.

My experience in both being a part of and leading team meetings has revealed priceless insights into what works, what doesn’t, what’s important, what’s not…etc. 

At the end of the day, I really believe that no matter the size of your team, consistent team meetings are simply non-negotiable.

I’ve heard leaders (including former versions of myself) say they don’t always feel that team meetings are important, especially when there’s a lot of work to be done (is it a waste of time?), when business is slow (shouldn’t we be out there SELLING instead?) or when there’s just not a lot going on (what are we even going to talk about?).

The bottom line is this: Team meetings serve as so much more more than just routine gatherings; they are invaluable opportunities to collaborate, innovate, and propel your mission forward. They’re are an opportunity to cultivate a culture where every team member feels valued, heard, and motivated to excel. 

Team meetings are incredibly important, and if we’re not being consistent with them as leaders, we’re leaving a lot on the table.

Because I know the examples (ahem, excuses) above are very real reasons that the importance of team meetings can be dismissed, I want to share with you 3 things we do at every single one of our team meetings. This consistency not only builds credibility with my team (they know what to expect), it also allows us to connect on a weekly basis…no matter what’s going on in our business. 

ONE-WORD POSITIVE FOCUS. Every Elevate team meeting kicks off with each team member sharing their one-word positive focus. This is simply their “word of the week” - what they’re feeling, committing to, etc. For example, one of my team members recently shared that with a lot going on both personally and professionally in their life, their word of the week was “prioritize”. 

I love this simple practice for so many reasons. First, it gives me (and fellow team members) insight into what’s going on in each other’s lives, both at work and personally. It allows us to know where they stand – are they overwhelmed? Stressed? Hungry for more work? – which then allows us all to respond accordingly. 

It also helps us connect on a deeper level, which I promise yields massive benefits for your overall team culture. 

Lastly, it’s fun to hear how this changes each week. It stretches each of us to think about what’s really going on each week, and attach a POSITIVE (growth-oriented) word to what we’re experiencing.

CALENDAR. Leading an organization that focuses on creating remarkable experiences that people love means that in our world, the calendar is ridiculously important. Alas, at every single team meeting, we spend a few minutes reviewing the calendar. 

 

What’s happened since we last met? What’s coming up? Are there any gaps/questions we need to discuss?

As a team, we use Google Calendar to organize our internal and external events – but even though we can all see the collective things on the master calendar, we still take time to go over it (repeatedly) at team meetings. I can’t tell you how many times this has stimulated great conversation and/or helped us catch something that might have otherwise slipped through the cracks. 

Maybe for your organization, the calendar is just as vital. Or, perhaps you can fill this section in with something else equally important. Consider what might be the backbone of your company or your team…and make sure to bring it to the forefront every single time! It might feel redundant, and I encourage you to do it anyway.

REVENUE & GOAL REVIEW. It’s no secret that as leaders, we need to have very clear goals laid out for ourselves and our team. I’ll be honest, I’ve been a part of teams where the revenue side of things was always kept behind a magic curtain - and I didn’t like that (neither did my colleagues). Why? Well, when you don’t know what’s really happening from a revenue standpoint, it’s really challenging to be motivated to produce. There is immense value in sharing “where things stand” from a revenue and goal perspective, and that’s why I share this information at every team meeting.

No matter what type of organization or team you lead/serve on, I know there’s something in this lane that you can bring to the forefront at your team meetings. For example, if your team isn’t directly attached to creating revenue (honestly, I’d say EVERY team is, but I’m talking about more production/project-related teams here), create a slide to share of where current goals/projects stand. 

There are weeks when we all get super pumped about hitting the quarterly goals we set, and there are also weeks when we’re using the information as fuel to go out and book more events with clients. 

The idea here is to simply keep everyone engaged and accountable (this is key)...and to encourage motivation and tenacity to keep the train moving forward. 

WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON? As a leader, I love sharing the ‘podium’ with each of my team members at our meetings by inviting them to share what they’re currently working on. This not only allows them to share, it keeps me in the loop on what projects/efforts are happening throughout our organization…and it also shines a light on any areas that may need attention or extra help. 

Depending on the size of your team/organization, letting every single team member share may not be feasible (I strongly recommend keeping team meetings at 1 hour or less). If this is the case, simply ask 1-2 team members/leaders to share an update and rotate who shares each week. 

ENCOURAGEMENT. Last but not least, one of my favorite things about team meetings is that they offer an opportunity for me to encourage my team.

No matter what’s going on - whether we’re running out of the door to rock an event OR if sales are down for the month - I firmly believe in equipping and empowering my team members before we “get back out there”.

Sometimes this looks like sharing a personal story of something that happened in my life, and reminding them that we all only get one life - so remember what’s most important. Other times it looks like sharing something I’m learning from a fellow leader that I believe we can all benefit from.

You don’t have to be a professional keynote speaker or motivational writer to share encouragement with your team. This part is all about your willingness to be vulnerable (i.e. HUMAN) and to remind your team members that you’re grateful for their commitment and hard work. 

Know something cool about all of this? Implementing a consistent “flow” for team meetings means that even if you have to step away (like I did last week because I was emceeing an event at the Mercedes Benz Stadium), you can EASILY call up one of your team members to lead the meeting on your behalf. They all know what the “flow” is, too…so team meetings can go on – and you can empower a team member in the process! 

My biggest advice for leading simple but effective team meetings? Just create the space. Yes, keep it to an hour or less - but avoid making it feel rigid or rushed. This might be your only change to really gain understanding for where your team stands…and that, my friend, is worth every ounce of time and effort. 

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Need help planning team meetings that your team will ENJOY (and that will keep your team motivated)? I’d love to help! CLICK HERE to learn more about my expert team building experiences.