Measuring your business’s vitals
All living beings have a pulse. So too do organizations. Just as we check our pulse to gauge our health and identify any issues that may arise, we should plan to do the same for our businesses.
The ‘Meeting’ pulse
One type of business pulse you’ll want to monitor is your “meeting pulse.” Why? Meetings can serve as mechanisms for propelling organizations down the right path. They provide forums for problem solving — places where leaders and their teams can address any barriers, obstacles and challenges that may prevent their organizations from reaching their BIG goals.
But how do you ensure you’re getting the most out of your meetings? I teach my clients to implement a powerful format called the “Level 10” meeting. Designed to provide consistency and structure, Level 10 meetings are characterized by the following five attributes: 1) they are held every week on the same day of the week, 2) they are held at the same time, 3) they follow the same agenda template, 4) they start on time, and 5) they end on time. The agenda provides an opportunity to quickly report on key metrics, review action items from the previous week and discuss any pressing issues that may require attention, while the meeting’s regular timing creates the necessary “pulse” that helps keep an organization on course.
Set quarterly pulse checks
Really healthy organizations go beyond the weekly pulse-check. By establishing quarterly meetings — usually held offsite to eliminate distractions — leadership can review and learn from the past 90 days, set new quarterly goals and discuss any big-picture issues.
While this all may not seem like rocket science, it does take some discipline and accountability to get going. But once you incorporate weekly and quarterly meetings into your business, you may be surprised by how easy it is to monitor your organization’s pulse.
If your vitals aren’t as healthy as you’d like them to be, consider implementing the Level 10 meeting format to keep you and your team on track — forever!
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If only all leaders were running “Level 10” meetings…
My former boss had a great rule for his meetings. This rule was not enforced by his managers in his absence and there was an overwhelming difference between his meetings and theirs. The rule: don’t raise a concern/problem/challenge/annoyance without at least one proposed solution.
Great article, Randy.