Time for Your ‘Accountability Huddle’?

Meetings! Who needs more meetings?

Maybe you do, if your week doesn't include some sort of "accountability huddle."

It's true that meetings are among the least favorite and least productive activities for most businesspersons. Could it be that it's not the act of meeting that's at fault, but instead what happens (or doesn't happen) during the meeting?

Here's how a brief, productive huddle might look:

9:00 am Start on time. "Good morning" all around.
9:01 am Go over the numbers. No discussion unless there's
good reason - more on that below.
9:15 am Cover any other agenda items. These might be standing agenda items or issues added for this week's huddle.
9:28 am Wrap-up/summary on agenda items: WHO will do WHAT by WHEN?
9:30 am Done.

So, what is meant by going over "the numbers"? Exactly what numbers?

Ideally, the company has identified a handful of truly important financial and/or operational metrics. Better, each number has an "owner." Still better, owners of numbers are forecasting results - looking forward, rather than reporting past results.

Not much discussion is needed. Running your business by the numbers removes the drama.

• If on target, great. Move on.
• If you're beating the target, terrific! Take a moment to celebrate!
• If behind target, don't beat up the messenger. It's a coaching opportunity: "Where are you stuck? How can the team help? How can you move the number in the right direction?"

Most company meetings are either a review of past performance, or they turn into a complaint, group therapy or brainstorming session. The huddle I'm describing is none of these.
• Imagine a pro football huddle where the quarterback starts reviewing the last game. That's what your huddle is like if you're reviewing past performance.
• Imagine a pro football game where the huddle is all about finger-pointing, or what the team might want to do in future games. That's what your huddle is like if you're allowing it to turn into a complaint session or a brainstorming session.

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