How Status Meetings, MY Status Meetings, Get It Done!

When a project is created, we know the scope of work is determined, a team is assigned, and a timeframe is provided. If not, then we have a lot more to discuss, but this focus will be what and how baby steps and teamwork get you where you need to go.

In each team status meeting I:

▪ Complete a to-date review of all the week’s activities and goals.
▪ Ask each team member’s progress on their tasks, if they need support and/or extra time.

This information isn’t about micro-managing a team member or prying too much, it’s about knowing if we will get what we need done this week or not, if that person needs assistance, or if further changes are made.

▪ Once I (we) have an understanding of how each team member’s workload is, I then either try to find assistance from within the team to help any overloaded members, or I make requests to the client based on feedback from the team.

Yikes! I know that last statement probably raises fear in a lot of people. You mean talk with the client about the work, timelines, and productivity?? This leads me to discuss my status meeting with the client.

At least weekly I meet with the client to discuss Accomplishments and Work in Progress. Note that my words are specific here. I want the word Accomplishments to be a regular thing in my client’s mind. I want them to know all that we have achieved and not surpass it.

▪ As I talk about accomplishments, everything is an accomplishment. I don’t hogwash things nor am I overly annoying, but I do communicate all of the project activity that is taking place. I find that clients appreciate knowing, on a regular basis, the work that was involved in accommodating their requests. For example, you could communicate: “In order to put together this presentation, it took pulling information from 3 different locations, 9 different sources, organizing it, and formatting it so it will have the information we want to deliver. It took a while but we got it done.”

▪ Also I discuss works in progress. A client makes a request and you must deliver. What happens when you finally get into your work and find that it will take twice as long as expected? There are 2 reasons this could happen, you came across something unexpected, which causes the extra delay, or you are working on extra tasks. It is completely fair to communicate to the customer what either has or is occurring. From there you can request them to confirm their priorities. Do they really really want X if it takes (and costs) this much longer? Or are there other priorities that can be shifted? In my experience of implement software solutions for over a decade – no one has ever gotten mad because things aren’t what they seemed. (One other rule here is: don’t start this communication when the deadline is there. Then the customer will rightly get mad.)

Open and active communication with the team and client not only creates a deeper relationship but also actively helps you accomplish your goals.

Final note: If you are an entrepreneur, a solo-preneur, or trying to do something on your own, these status meetings (or regular check-ins) are still quite effective. What is the goal for the week? What needs to be re-prioritized to get it done? What have you accomplished? What is is “in-progress”?