Weekly Status Calls (Phase II)
Between the kick-off workshop, the review workshop and the consolidation workshop, the team researches on its own. A short weekly call keeps the exploration on track and the team together.
Gabriele Bacher
Team Coach
Sabine Schoen
Team Coach
Content
1. Purpose
During Step 2: Research, the team works on its own for five weeks, and most of that work happens in the gaps between other appointments. The call keeps track of what everyone is doing and keeps the team spirit up — which matters most when Team Members sit in different offices and only meet in the workshops. Research phases are exactly where teams get bogged down and lose the focus of the project.
Keep in mind
If problems or challenges come up during the call, decide quickly whether you can fix them right there or whether they need to be solved outside the call.
The Team Manager leads the call, not the coach. Before it starts, everyone opens the workspace with an overview of tasks and comes prepared. No bullsh*t!
Keep in mind
Use the call to spot a stalling research activity early. If someone has had no interview appointment for two weeks for example, that surfaces here — not in the Review Workshop, where it is too late to do much about it.
2. Duration
30 min. (...and not a minute longer), once a week over the six weeks of the exploration
3. Participants
Team Manager (leads the call)
4. Preparation
A recurring invitation for the whole exploration period, including the dial-in details, agreed in the Kick-off Workshop
A common workspace with an overview of tasks, e.g. Miro Templates "Exploration", agreed in the Kick-off Workshop
5. Tools & Materials
Conference system
Common digital workspace, e.g. Miro Templates "Exploration"
Project Charter "Exploration", to check the research still fits the agreed frame
6. Example Agenda
Time in minutes | Activities | Format* | Stakeholders |
1 | Welcome and question: | P | |
2–14 | Brief reflection on the research activities and findings of last week | D | All |
15–26 | Planned research activities for this and next week | D | All |
27–29 | Support needed to smooth things out and improve teamwork | D | All |
30 | Bye and good luck | P |
* P = Presentation | D = Discussion | B = Break | T = Teamwork