On the Right Foot

One of the best ways to make certain your team members are equipped to meet the challenge of your project is to hold a kick-off meeting. Fundamentally, a kick-off meeting is the first chance you have to present yourself and your plan to your team members. And you know what they say about first impressions...so make the most of your kick-off meeting.

Do Your Homework
Whether your plan was developed in a sponsor meeting, through a series of e-mails or over the phone, it is your responsibility to provide your team with a clear, concise picture of what success looks like and how to achieve it. You don't need an exhaustive step-by-step plan for your team at this point, but you do need to offer a fairly detailed version of your timelines, deliverables and budgets. Don't just compile the data you want your staff to have, think about what they need to know to be successful members of your team and give it to them in a format they will use and understand.