How to Have Productive Daily Huddles

Implementing the Daily Huddle will, without a doubt, change your company for the better.

Every company that has ever implemented the Daily Huddle is sure to say the same thing. It helps form better internal communication and also increases company morale. The Daily Huddle unites teams like nothing else can. What’s more important than that?

This blog is going to teach you how to have a productive Daily Huddle so that you can reap all of the benefits it can offer. But first….

What is the Daily Huddle?

The Daily Huddle is a short, all-company meeting designed for the purpose of raising the energy level of the group while also ensuring that everyone is on the same page. This meeting should be approximately seven minutes long and doesn’t involve anyone sitting down. It’s meant to raise energy in a way that long, sit-down meetings cannot.

“The daily huddle (or the daily stand-up or the daily scrum – whatever terminology you prefer) is a short meeting meant to occur every day so that the entire team can get informed and aligned on the work that needs to be done.” – Growth Institute

When Should You Have Them?

Since the Daily Huddle is partially about boosting energy, it’s best to have them between the hours of 11:00 am and 2:00 pm. This is when everyone’s energy levels start to ebb as they fall into the lull of work in the middle of the day. You’ve got to host a huddle to energize and inspire them once again!

This time should be decided upon the way in advance and kept consistent so that everyone can put it in their calendars and be prepared. No one’s going to like it if they’re pulled away from their workflow with no warning.

What Happens?

Even though the Daily Huddle is only around seven minutes long, it still has a very specific format that you need to stick to. That format is:

• Good news: Start with a couple of minutes of good news. Anyone can share good news or praise with other business departments, fellow employees, etc.
• Numbers: Next, review and post the key metrics from your sales funnel so that everyone has a window into the key numbers for your business.
• What does it all mean?:  Follow this up with a daily forecast on the monthly (and yearly) revenue versus budget. It is great to show your team how the company is doing on a daily basis versus waiting until the end of the month to add it all up.
• Department Update: This is a glimpse into each business area. It’s also a way to systematically ensure that business areas are always focused on their quarterly Top 3 projects.
• Missing systems/frustrations: Give a little bit of time for anyone to share their frustrations in a no-blame environment. After each frustration, have someone take ownership of the problem to make sure it gets fixed. No debate or discussion should happen during the Daily Huddle. Issues are raised, then someone offers to resolve them. That’s it.
• Cheer: Finally, you always end your Daily Huddle in a cheer. This is meant completely literally. It may seem strange at first, but everyone will grow to love it. It’ll get them pumped to take on the rest of the day.

This may seem like a lot to cover in a seven-minute meeting, but it’s all about being brief and concise. The more you have daily huddles, the easier it will be to seamlessly fit everything in.

Do you have daily huddles? If not, give it a try! It’s only seven minutes. What can you lose?

If you have questions or would like more information, I’d be happy to help. Please send an email, and my team will get in touch with you!

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in November 2017 and has been edited for accuracy and comprehensiveness.