Your #1 tool when you need to pulse faster

 You've heard from us and a whole array of other sources that long term planning is important. How do you select a path if you don't know where you're going? That said, the tempo of your company comes from the frequency of communication. If you want to (or need to) pulse faster, adapt faster - you need to implement a daily huddle. 

Your huddle might have a number of purposes:

• Each team member reads the team in on the immediate priorities he or she is pursuing. This builds rapport, empathy, and opportunities for teamwork.
• Immediately identify snags or stuck points that need attention outside the huddle.
• On the spot public "attaboys" for recent victories. And these don't have to come from you - they can be even stronger when peers call out recognition for one another's wins.
• Quick rearranging if contingencies arise that require rescheduling, adding resources, or redeploying.
• In shift environments, the huddle can create continuity as the outgoing crew orients the incoming crew to current conditions. 
• Share the status of key performance metrics.

You might be thinking, "One more meeting?!? I have enough already!"  No worries. The huddle is done standing up, and should last no more than 10-15 minutes. You're going quickly around the team for their input. Remember, if problems or issues come up, they should be dealt with outside the huddle. The purpose of the huddle is solely to identify them as promptly as possible.

Choose a time of day that makes sense for your team, guided by your purpose for the huddle. If you're going to set the production schedule for the day, for instance, first thing in the morning is the logical huddle time. Also - knowing that a lot of teams are partially or fully remote right now - in person is best, video (zoom Teams, Google Meet) is next best, phone is third. It's harder to know whether the team is tracking when you don't have visual feedback.

Avoid huddle fatigue by changing the focus from time to time, perhaps weaving in progress on the company's quarterly priorities. There should be info in each huddle that is useful, meaningful, and immediately applicable to the team.