Daily meeting

This is an interesting topic as it is relevant right now on my current project. First, I'm a fan of SHORT meetings, and my team appreciates that. Typically, I hold status meetings only once weekly until we get to a point where activities are in full swing with lots of moving parts, people and coordination is required. We do two daily check-ins at that point - in the morning via summary of what work took place the night before; and a daily short call at close of business to make sure all are aligned for work that upcoming night. The team finds them very valuable for communicating any issues; and allows me as the project manager to publish daily updates to all the stakeholders who by this point in a project are keenly interested in the progress.

I recall one of our senior managers stating any meeting longer than 45 minutes was a waste of time. I believe that to be largely true.

I guess it depends on the daily meeting.

If it's a daily status update, then the entire purpose of the meeting is to create pressure. This could be an effective short-term tool when urgent milestones are at risk, but I'd agree that it seems like a bad practice for regular use. If employees have to prove their worth every day at work, then there's either something wrong with the employees or something wrong with management.

If it's a team standup, then I'd have to question why they feel this pressure. Standups should be a team's chance to coordinate their daily work, not report their status or justify their employment. Perhaps certain people involved need to modify their behavior in these meetings or simply not attend. I especially discourage "jury members" in daily standups who listen in but do not participate. They unwittingly initiate the Hawthorne Effect and create the type of pressure that's detrimental to effective standups.

Dear Melissa
Thank you for participating in this reflection and for your opinion.

How have you been with this approach?

How do team members react to these two daily meetings?

In your opinion, is it sustainable in the medium and long term?

Hello Luis.
This format is only useful for short periods of time - in this case for the project I'm on it will last only for 7 days. The team actually requested we approach this way, as they are working overnight, and new teams will take over watching the system in the morning. The written summary provides the "memorialization" in document format, while the later in the day confernece call will be to obtain feedback from those monitoring the system in the days; and allow the whole team to sync up prior to tonight's work. I would not suggest this type of approach for anything but short periods.

Dear Luis, they are important team daily meetings and if done properly, they give insights into the overall project progress. The PM can decide next course of action either with Client, third parties or internal organisation. In my view they are important and must be run and participate efficiently.

Dear Luis,
It can be good if we can discuss only issues to give necessary support
Thanks
Hamid

Dear Abdelhamid
Thank you for participating in this reflection and for your opinion.

I would like to better understand your perspective.

What it means to you: "can discuss only issues to give necessary support"