PROJECT HABIT: WE KICK OFF WORK

to increase clarity on purpose, roles, and roadmap, so that our team is more agile in adjusting our plans to meet our purpose

Spark

Watch the The Great Kick-Off video below to see what happens when a project kick-off is not used to clarify the project’s purpose, goals, roles, or roadmap for the team.

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The Great Kick-Off

Take a few minutes to watch how one team kicked off a new project and reflect on the impact this kick-off had on the team and the project.

 

Expand

Many leaders, thanks to the popularity of books such as Simon Sinek’s Start With Why, have a great focus on the purpose of a project. However, few leaders take the time to communicate the roles and the roadmap that will support achieving the project’s purpose. Check out the articles linked below to help your team expand their knowledge and reflect on the importance of kicking off work.

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Why Kick-Offs Matter

Explore two articles to expand your knowledge on the importance of kicking off work.

Continue Expanding Your Knowledge

If you want to continue building your knowledge of responsive projects, and the purpose, roles, and roadmap for work, check out the following activities and resources.

Practice

By this step, you have recorded some ideas and learnings in the SPARK and EXPAND pages of your New Team Habits workbook. Now it’s time to PRACTICE before taking this habit out into the real world. The best way to practice leading a kick-off meeting is to do it. We think role playing is a way to create meaningful and psychologically safe space for practice and feedback. Form a group with three colleagues and practice kicking off an upcoming project. Build in time for your colleagues to give feedback before making an individual plan to APPLY this habit in one or more of your upcoming meetings.

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Prepare For A Kick-Off

Use this template to prepare for an upcoming kick-off meeting.

Apply

Based on your learnings and practice, commit to trying the Project Habit: We Kick Off Work. This could be on a new project, a new phase of work for an existing project, or a new work sprint. The goal is to create greater alignment, clarity, and ownership across your team.

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Commit To Try The Habit

Use the commitment template or turn to page 134 of The New Team Habits to prepare to APPLY this habit in a real world setting.

Debrief

Now that you and your team have had the opportunity to try the Project Habit: We Kick Off Work in a real world context, it’s important to schedule DEBRIEF time to share learnings across the team and create a plan for making this habit stick moving forward.

Resources

Share the habit

Activities and resources to continue building your knowledge of kicking off work and developing clarity of purpose, roles, and roadmap.

The New Team Habits

A book for leaders, managers, and anyone who works in teams to build better habits for teamwork

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