How To Run A (Great) Start Of Year Team Meeting

Set The Intention 

Have the intentions of the meeting clear and well defined…then communicate them. Is this a meeting where you or the leadership team are presenting a pre-set strategy to your team OR are you looking for team involvement, ideas and feedback? If it’s the latter, you need to give your team time to prepare properly so the meeting is beneficial for everyone. 

Similarly, if the meeting is more of a ‘recap’ of the last year and a look ahead at the goals for the coming year, give your team time to present any noteworthy points from last year and any goals they’d like to achieve this year. 

Be Inclusive 

When you’ve set the meeting’s intention (and communicated that) and everyone knows what to expect at the meeting, make sure you include everyone in the meeting. If the meeting is more of a chance for you or your leaders to speak AT your team and not WITH your team, you’ll soon find your team’s engagement and excitement very low and the contents of the meeting, almost worthless.

Ask questions, seek feedback, use your team’s knowledge and collective wisdom. Remember; you hired them for a reason, they are your business’s biggest asset and they probably know more about your customers and business than you realise. Be humble enough to know that your best ideas may come from the people sitting around the table and tune into that.

Acknowledge and Praise 

Who doesn’t love to be told they’re doing a great job? Even if the intention of the meeting is not about rehashing what went down last year, take a few precious minutes and acknowledge and praise the work of your team last year. Make special mentions where they’re needed and ensure everyone feels seen, heard and encouraged. This is important to do at the start of the meeting so that your team isn’t sitting there wondering whether their effort last year was all in vein for the whole meeting, and not hearing what you’re trying to communicate with them. 

Create A Balance 

If you know this meeting will last hours, or the full day, plan for a balance in the meeting flow. Include things like break out sessions, coffee breaks, lunch and afternoon tea. Keep your team fed and hydrated. If you can include some game or some kind of competition for the longer meetings it will hold your team’s interest and keep things light. 

If Things Go Off Course 

At a start of year meeting, especially if your team hasn’t seen or spoken together for a while, people can be hanging onto things that have happened in the past, waiting for an opportunity to spike. Sometimes it’s a comment, some feedback or a group discussion that can bring up unnecessary issues that take away energy from the aim of the meeting. Soon things are derailed and you’re facing hostile team members instead of presenting your grand plan for the future. 

If this happens, make sure to take control of the meeting and set it back on course. One way to do this, is to address the issue with the team and explain that it’s a valid issue that needs it’s own time and place. Schedule that time, tell them when you will address it then ask for everyone’s approval to get back on track with the meeting. Similarly, if it’s one or two people that are creating an issue for the group, take them aside at a break time and ask if there is a time to go through their qualms together, not now, and ask them to get on board with the current meeting so everyone can benefit. 

A great way to stop this from happening at a start of year meeting, is to hold an end of year meeting and have anyone who wants to get anything off their chest, done and said so that you can start the year with a clean slate.

Give Your Team A Plan 

Everyone who attends your start of year meeting should walk away knowing where they’re heading for the year, how they play a part in the company’s growth for the year, and what their focus is for the next three to six months. If you haven’t clearly articulated this at the meeting, then you have some work to do. 

Be Consistent 

At the meeting, if there is a plan, strategy or idea you’re committing to for the year, then explain how that will be achieved and what are the goals to make that happen. 

If you’ve agreed to have quarterly meetings, then please have them in the diary and set for the year. If you do personal performance reviews or personal check-ins, have them set - be consistent and let your team know you are here for them, and here to make sure this year is a great year. 

What You Don’t Want 

You don’t want your team to walk away thinking “that was a complete waste of time” or “where can I find a new job?” Your Start Of Year team meeting sets the tone, objectives and goals for the year. This is extremely important and exciting. Your team should walk away, happy to be working with you/the company and excited about what’s to come this year. 

JAGA can help you with hosting a start of year team meeting now. Book in a meeting room (even if you’re not a member of JAGA) at either of our two Canberra locations: Swanson Court and Allara Street, and have access to our space, parking, wi-fi, AV and equipment, even catering on the day. We’ll help your team get on track to enjoy an amazing year ahead. Contact our team today on 1800 512 150 or click here.