7 Steps to Starting a Team Huddle

Team huddles are a great way to build teamwork and improve communication between members of a group. They're also a good way to address problems before they escalate into conflict.

A team huddle is not the same as a team meeting. You generally book a team meeting to discuss a specific topic that needs attention. But you organise a team huddle to strategise, motivate or celebrate!

In a team huddle you will engage the whole team to talk about how you achieve goals as a group. Each individual voice, skill and superpower matters to make progress. You will discuss metrics that are relevant to the team and to support business wins.

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How do you start a team huddle?

Here's is 7 steps to start a team huddle in your workplace.

1. Start with a purpose

Before starting a team huddle, make sure everyone knows why you're doing it. It's easy to fall into a rut when you're constantly meeting as a team, so having a purpose will help keep things fresh. Remind them that a huddle is not a meeting. Just like sports teams, it’s a moment to huddle, have meaningful conversations, and define actions to win with your team!

2. Define metrics together

To have an effective team huddle, you and your team members need to define what are the strategic metrics (think topics) you will discuss when you huddle. These need to make sense to the team and contribute to better teamwork and organizational growth. For example, how’s your team communication going? Use “team communication” as a team metric. Are you having any blockers to progress? Use “blockers” as a team metric. If these metrics are collectively identified, the higher the chances of getting the team members committed to deliver on them.

3. Set ground rules

Once you've decided what you want to accomplish during the huddle, set ground rules. This includes deciding who will lead the discussion, who will take notes, and who will record the session. If there are any disagreements, decide on a method for resolving them.

4. Create a safe space to share ideas

Set up a space where everyone feels comfortable enough to share ideas and concerns. You might use a whiteboard, flipchart, or even a software like Teamgage Huddle to collect your employees’ feedback before you meet in person, online or hybrid. Make sure everyone always has access to the space, so they feel free to contribute.

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5. Get together

Once you’ve set up the space, invite your team members to huddle (online, in person or hybrid). Team huddles work better when they are done regularly, so you can continuously work on improvements. Set up recurring huddles, so teams know when to expect them to happen. They will also have the opportunity to think and prepare their feedback in advance.

6. Facilitate discussion

When the team huddle starts, bring up the metrics you defined together in step 2. After everyone has had a chance to speak, the team huddle leader should ask questions to encourage discussion. You can also use the pre-defined metrics as prompts to guide the conversation.

7. Create actions

There’s no point in huddling if the team doesn’t list down improvement actions to promote change! Huddle is about strategizing and getting your teams energised to get the right things done. It’s about aligning on a purpose and moving towards success together. So, create actions, give your team members ownership, and follow them up in your next team huddle. Remember: Progress over perfection is the way to go!

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Harness the Power of Engaged Teams

Teamgage Huddle is an innovative approach to engage your teams in the workplace. It’s inspired by sports teams that regularly get together to tweak tactics and improve their performance.

Speak to our team today to see how Teamgage Huddle can help you engage your teams to improve business culture, increase retention, manage risks or promote change.