Getting into a rhythm is probably one of the most important disciplines a team can grasp to help their company excel. A rhythm is like going to the gym. The first week is really difficult, but if you stick with it, it will eventually pay off. Here’s how to help your company get into a rhythm for 2010.
First, set a schedule for yourself and your team and stick with it for at least thirty days. I get into the office at 7:00 AM every morning to get ready for the day. I review my schedule, catch-up on emails, and begin to get mentally prepared for my day.
On Monday mornings, plan the week with your teams. We start our first meeting on Monday morning with the Executive team where we do a “health check” of the company (consisting of reviewing our KPIs), followed by setting priorities for the week as they relate to our company goals.
Quick comment here: Priorities should be clear and there should be a definition of “done.” Too often, people walk out of a meeting in agreement as to what has to be completed, but then find later that few really understood what needed to be done. At Intronis, we track everything in Pivotal Tracker, which is a great tool that keeps us focused and following a rhythm. The entire company has full access to Pivotal Tracker to ensure transparency.
After the executive meeting, I have a planning session with my sales team to review the numbers (pipeline, metrics, individual contributions, and bottlenecks). This is followed by a meeting with my marketing team where we plan the week ahead.
Dedicate Tuesday through Friday to daily huddles. We have daily huddles beginning at 8:45 AM with Sales, then Marketing, and then with the Executive Team. We review the priorities, bottlenecks, what was learned the prior day, and discuss any high business value items. The huddle is kept to a maximum of 15 minutes. We often find that there are improvements we can make immediately to help remove bottlenecks, allowing us to interact with our customers better and our company to be more efficient.
Do a review of the week on Fridays. A weekly review is a good way to recap what was done and to make sure that everyone who committed to certain tasks actually completed them. This isn’t easy because it involves candor and accountability. But let’s face it, the sooner you can have candid discussions, the more you can get accomplished.
Our rhythm has allowed us to improve our interactions with our customers and improve the efficiency of our company. Each week we start the routine all over again, and get better week after week. As the year comes to a close and a bright new year is ahead, try giving this strategy a shot. It won’t be easy at first, but if you get into a rhythm, you’ll be amazed at the results.
Eric Webster is VP of sales and client service for Intronis. Find Intronis partner program information here. Guest blog entries such as this one are contributed on a monthly basis as part of The VAR Guy’s 2009 sponsorship program. Read all of Webster’s guest blogs here.Read More About This Topic
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Mr. Webster,
I will summarize my thoughts by offering the following observation. In my 20 years in IT my best weeks typically involve clear marching orders and good productivity each Monday. When Monday falls apart the entire week usually goes off the cliff as well. As businesses it seems like we’re all forever playing catch up. But perhaps with a little rhythm we’d break out of our rut. Thank you for reminding me of that. I’ll be sharing your blog with our team after the New Year.