Don't Meet! Regular communication in structured, disciplined groups where participants make decisions, is the key to success
Reporting status and effectiveness of strategic and tactical choices is required to create and maintain competitive advantage
- (Yearly) Annual Strategic Direction (board and key managers)
- (Quarterly) Strategy Session (board)
- (Monthly) Action status review (managers, team leaders, project managers)
- (Sprint/Weekly) Weekstart/Sprint review
Master Annual Strategic Direction
How often: yearly to brainstorm, 2 month followup after responses
Who: Board level and key management
Why: Set course, align efforts, allocate resources
Result: Draft Organisation Year OGSM representing the decisions made in the agenda
Agenda:
- [Decision] (Market Position) What market position are we aiming for next year based on current position per marketplace
- [Decision] Keep or Expand our target audience
- [Discussion] (OGSM Review) Decide what to stop and what needs more help by evaluating the current OGSM status
- [Discussion] (Trends) Which trends are having impact on the future of our business by describing existing identified trends and impact and new trends
- [For information] (Customer value proposition) Confirm customer value proposition by confirming value chain and business model
- [Decision] (People – Staff, Partners, Processes, Product, Customer) decide next year people requirements by evaluating staff and partnerships)
- [Discussion] (Challenges – SWOT) What are the biggest challenges for next year or beyond, what is the expected impact and proposed solution using a power SWOT
- [Decision] (Goals) Register in what by how format what you intend to achieve next year, how you will get there and the major action you will execute
An “Annual Strategic Direction” meeting serves as a key forum for organizational leadership to come together and define the overarching goals, priorities, and initiatives for the upcoming year. The purpose of such a meeting is multi-faceted and can include the following.
- Goal Setting: The meeting provides an opportunity to set clear and measurable goals for the organization. This includes both short-term and long-term objectives that align with the company’s mission and vision.
- Alignment: It allows leaders to ensure alignment between various departments or teams within the organization. This alignment is crucial to ensure that everyone is working toward common objectives and that individual efforts contribute to the overall success of the organization.
- Strategic Planning: The meeting is a platform for strategic planning, where leaders can discuss and decide on the strategic initiatives and projects that will drive the organization forward. This may involve reviewing the current state of the industry, identifying opportunities and threats, and determining the best course of action.
- Resource Allocation: Leaders can discuss and allocate resources, including budget, personnel, and technology, to support the strategic initiatives outlined during the meeting. This ensures that the necessary resources are in place to execute the planned strategies effectively.
- Risk Management: Identification and discussion of potential risks and challenges that the organization may face in the coming year. This allows leaders to proactively address risks and develop contingency plans to mitigate their impact.
- Communication and Engagement: The meeting serves as a platform for leaders to communicate the strategic direction to the broader organization. This helps in ensuring that all employees understand the company’s priorities and can align their work accordingly.
- Performance Measurement: Establishment of key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics that will be used to measure the success of the strategic initiatives. This allows for ongoing monitoring and assessment of progress throughout the year.
- Learning and Adaptation: The meeting provides an opportunity for leaders to learn from past experiences, both successes and failures. It also allows for flexibility in adapting the strategic direction in response to changes in the internal or external environment.
- Team Building: Bringing leadership together for strategic discussions fosters collaboration, shared understanding, and a sense of collective responsibility for the organization’s success. It contributes to team building among the leadership group.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Leaders can consider the perspectives and expectations of key stakeholders, including customers, investors, and partners, to ensure that the strategic direction aligns with their needs and expectations.
In summary, an Annual Strategic Direction meeting is a crucial event for organizational leaders to collaboratively set the course for the upcoming year, align efforts, allocate resources, and ensure the organization is well-positioned to achieve its objectives.
Quarterly Strategy review meeting
How often: right at the end of each quarter (~28 March, ~28 June, ~28 September)
Who: Board level and key management
Why: Set quarter goals, align efforts, stop non performing actions
Result: Quarterly assignments in dashboard and actions Year OGSM
Agenda:
- [For information] Review goals actual vs target
- [Discussion] Are the strategies delivering the results we expect in the goals and dashboard (What)
- [For information] For each strategy – What actions (most important 3-5) did we deliver – what did we learn / can improve
- [Decision] For each strategy – What are our 3-5 key actions for the coming quarter which dashboard / goals will be affected
- [Decision] What actions should be stopped
- [Discussion] What are the risks / problems we are facing in the coming quarter?
- [Discussion] are our current goals achievable in this timeframe?
A Quarterly Strategy Planning Meeting serves as a recurring forum for organizational leaders to review, adjust, and refine strategic priorities and initiatives throughout the year. The purpose of such a meeting includes several key objectives:
- Review and Evaluation: Assess the progress made toward the goals and initiatives set during the Annual Strategic Direction meeting. This involves reviewing key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to gauge the success of ongoing strategies.
- Course Correction: Identify any deviations or challenges encountered in the execution of the strategic plan and make necessary adjustments. This allows for agility in responding to changing market conditions, competitive landscapes, or internal factors.
- Alignment: Ensure continued alignment among different departments and teams within the organization. A Quarterly Strategy Planning Meeting provides an opportunity to confirm that everyone is working toward common objectives and adapting to any changes in the organizational direction.
- Resource Allocation: Reevaluate and reallocate resources as needed. This includes adjusting budgets, personnel assignments, and technology investments based on the performance and evolving priorities.
- Learning from Experience: Discuss and learn from both successes and failures during the quarter. This reflective process contributes to a culture of continuous improvement and allows the organization to refine its approach based on real-world experiences.
- Agile Decision-Making: Encourage an agile decision-making process, allowing the organization to respond quickly to emerging opportunities or threats. This agility is crucial in dynamic business environments.
- Strategic Initiatives Planning: Identify and plan for strategic initiatives for the upcoming quarter. This involves setting new goals, defining action plans, and ensuring that the organization is well-prepared for upcoming challenges and opportunities.
- Communication and Transparency: Use the meeting to communicate updates and changes in the strategic direction to the broader organization. This ensures that employees are informed and aligned with the evolving priorities.
- Employee Engagement: Engage leaders and teams in the strategic planning process, fostering a sense of ownership and accountability. This involvement enhances overall employee engagement and commitment to organizational goals.
- Risk Management: Continuously assess and manage risks that may impact the achievement of strategic objectives. Proactive risk management is vital to anticipate challenges and minimize their potential impact.
- Performance Recognition: Acknowledge and celebrate achievements and milestones reached during the quarter. Recognizing success fosters a positive organizational culture and motivates teams to continue their efforts.
In summary, a Quarterly Strategy Planning Meeting is a dynamic and responsive approach to strategic management. It allows organizations to continuously adapt to changing conditions, learn from experience, and stay on course toward long-term objectives.
Monthly Action status review - Meeting
A Monthly Action Status Meeting serves as a regular and structured forum for teams to discuss, review, and update the progress of ongoing projects, initiatives, and action items within a given month. The purpose of such a meeting includes several key objectives:
How often: right at the end of each month
Who: Strategy owners, Management, program and project managers
Why: A tactical and operational meeting that helps teams stay on track, address challenges, and foster a collaborative and accountable working environment. It plays a crucial role in maintaining visibility into ongoing initiatives and promoting agility in response to changing circumstances.
Result: Updated action status, refine resource allocations and align expectation of delivery
Agenda:
- Review of Objectives and Goals
- Evaluation of Implemented Strategies within Actions
- Analysis of Key Measures and Metrics
- Project Status Updates
- Identification of Action Items
- Open Discussion and Feedback
- Next Steps and Closing
- Status Reporting: Provide a platform for team members to report on the current status of their assigned tasks, projects, or initiatives. This includes sharing updates on accomplishments, challenges, and any roadblocks encountered.
- Alignment: Ensure that all team members are aligned with the overall goals and objectives of the organization. The meeting allows for a real-time assessment of how individual and team efforts contribute to the broader strategic direction.
- Issue Identification and Resolution: Discuss any issues or challenges that have arisen during the month and work collaboratively to identify solutions or mitigation strategies. This proactive approach helps in preventing issues from escalating.
- Decision-Making: Address any decisions that need to be made at the team level. This could include resolving conflicts, making adjustments to timelines, or deciding on resource allocations.
- Resource Management: Review and manage resource utilization, including personnel, time, and budget. Assess whether resources are being utilized effectively and make adjustments as necessary.
- Feedback and Collaboration: Facilitate open communication among team members, providing an opportunity for feedback, collaboration, and the sharing of best practices. This helps in fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
- Accountability: Reinforce individual and team accountability by tracking progress against assigned tasks and goals. Discuss any areas where accountability needs to be strengthened.
- Goal Review: Reflect on the progress made toward achieving monthly goals and milestones. This allows the team to celebrate successes, learn from challenges, and make any necessary adjustments for the following month.
- Documentation: Document key decisions, action items, and updates from the meeting. This documentation serves as a reference point for future discussions and ensures that everyone is on the same page.
- Continuous Improvement: Use the meeting to discuss opportunities for process improvement. This could involve refining workflows, adjusting project plans, or implementing lessons learned from previous experiences.
- Strategic Alignment: Connect individual and team-level actions to the broader strategic goals of the organization. This ensures that day-to-day activities contribute meaningfully to the overall success of the company.
In summary, a Monthly Action Status Meeting is a tactical and operational meeting that helps teams stay on track, address challenges, and foster a collaborative and accountable working environment. It plays a crucial role in maintaining visibility into ongoing initiatives and promoting agility in response to changing circumstances.
Week start / Sprint
a Week Start Meeting is a proactive approach to preparing the team for the week ahead. It enhances communication, coordination, and alignment, fostering a sense of shared purpose and accountability among team members. The purpose of such a meeting includes several key objectives:
How often: Start of week, or Sprint planning
Who: Team leaders, team membersResult: Updated action status, refine resource allocations and align expectation of delivery
Agenda:
- Goal Progress: What progress did I make towards the goal this week?
- Impact Evaluation: How has my work contributed to the positive impact I aim to achieve?
- Key Metrics: What measurable outcomes or metrics am I focusing on, and how have they changed this week?
- Challenges and Obstacles: What challenges or obstacles did I encounter, and how did I address them?
- Resource Allocation: Did I allocate my time and resources effectively to maximize impact?
- Learning and Development: What new insights or knowledge have I gained this week that can contribute to achieving the goal more effectively?
- Stakeholder Engagement: How have I engaged with relevant stakeholders to ensure their support and alignment with the goal?
- Adaptability and Flexibility: Have I remained adaptable and open to adjusting my approach based on new information or changing circumstances?
- Alignment with Overall Mission: How does my progress align with the broader mission and vision of the project or organization?
- Long-Term Sustainability: How can I ensure the sustainability of the positive impact I’m creating in the long term?
The purpose of a Week Start Meeting or Sprint Planning Meeting, particularly in an Agile development framework, is to facilitate the planning and coordination of work for a specific time period, typically a week or a sprint. The meeting aims to achieve several key objectives:
- Backlog Review: Assess the items in the product backlog or task list, prioritizing them based on importance and dependencies. This ensures that the team is focused on the most valuable and impactful tasks.
- Goal Setting: Define the goals and objectives for the upcoming week or sprint. Clarify what the team aims to accomplish during this time frame and how it aligns with broader project or organizational objectives.
- Task Estimation: Estimate the effort required for each task or user story to be completed during the week or sprint. This involves assigning story points, time estimates, or other relevant metrics to provide a clear understanding of the workload.
- Task Assignment: Assign tasks to team members based on their skills, availability, and capacity. Ensure that the workload is evenly distributed and that everyone has a clear understanding of their responsibilities.
- Capacity Planning: Consider team members’ availability and capacity when assigning tasks. Avoid overloading individuals and ensure that work is distributed in a way that maximizes efficiency.
- Dependencies and Risks: Discuss any dependencies between tasks and identify potential risks or obstacles that may affect the team’s ability to complete the planned work. Develop strategies to mitigate risks and address dependencies.
- Definition of Done: Clarify the criteria that define when a task or user story is considered complete. This includes quality standards, testing requirements, and any other criteria relevant to the team’s definition of done.
- Timeline: Establish a timeline for the week or sprint, outlining milestones and deadlines for key tasks. This helps the team stay on track and manage their time effectively.
- Communication and Collaboration: Foster communication and collaboration among team members. Encourage open discussion, questions, and the sharing of insights to ensure that everyone has a clear understanding of the plan.
- Adjustment and Adaptation: Be prepared to adjust the plan based on feedback, changes in priorities, or unforeseen circumstances. Agile methodologies emphasize adaptability, and the sprint planning meeting provides a platform for dynamic adjustments.
- Continuous Improvement: Use the meeting as an opportunity for continuous improvement. Discuss what worked well in the previous sprint or week and identify areas for enhancement in terms of processes, collaboration, or efficiency.
In summary, a Week Start or Sprint Planning Meeting is a crucial component of Agile project management. It promotes transparency, collaboration, and effective planning to maximize the team’s productivity and ensure that they are working on the highest-priority tasks.