What is it that fuels the engine of a team that’s connected, motivated, and ready to tackle the day? Well, it might just be their morning huddle.
A no-nonsense morning huddle can be the backbone of a productive day from a team that’s truly in sync.
This article is packed with fun and practical ways to take your huddle game from “meh” to motivational, now let’s get into it.
What exactly is a morning huddle?
A morning huddle is a short, highly focused meeting that sets the tone for the day ahead. They’re used as space for teams to share updates and address their current workplace concerns. Huddles typically last for 10 - 15 minutes and help team members align their tasks and workflow.
Huddles are often applied to fast-paced industries like healthcare, where medical staff can properly sync up to help patients. Industry-leading companies use morning team huddles to craft the mission for the day before taking action.
Huddles differ from traditional meetings, in that they strive to keep goals clear. They’re like a group pep talk (minus the pom-poms!) that energizes a team to take their performance up a notch.
Key components of a morning huddle
While different companies execute huddles differently depending on their setup and location, a well-structured huddle needs to cover these bases:
- Wins of the day: It’s critical to share recent wins as a group, big or small!
- Key focus items: These key ideas create priorities for the day ahead.
- Project updates: Updating colleagues keeps everyone on the same page.
- Open questions: Open questions in a free environment let members address their uncertainties.
- Action items: Finally, a list of action items clarifies the next steps and ensures accountability.
20 ideas to level up your morning huddles
So what are the best ways to electrify the atmosphere in a morning huddle? Here are our 20 top picks to get your teams clicking into place:
1. A moment’s accolade
The first thing for a solid huddle is to make sure you’re giving a good shout-out to a person who deserves it. Sing the praises of a staff member who has recently gone above and beyond. Keep the accolade short, sweet, and meaningful, mention exactly what they did and why it matters to you. This sets the tone for the whole meeting and over time creates a culture of appreciation. A simple act can go a long way, so make sure you’re mastering the huddle with an accolade.
2. One-minute summary of problems/concerns
Huddles are primarily designed to keep things concise and to-the-point. Dedicate the opening minutes for members to share a short summary of any roadblocks they’re facing. Ensure the huddle stays focused and committed to the task, with a space for support. Identify the problems quickly to prevent bottle-necking and use a judgment-free atmosphere so people feel open enough to share any small concerns. Create a collective awareness of the short points, then your teams can tackle issues head-on.
3. Movement breaks
Every so often, a huddle meeting benefits from a moment’s stretch and physical exertion. A huddle is used in American Football as the point where teams gather together in a circle and strategize the next passage of play. This is a reminder that huddles thrive on both mental focus and physical sharpness, so incorporate a quick movement break into yours. Stretches, yoga poses and online calisthenics sessions can reinvigorate and energize your teams. Shake off sluggishness and gain a clear head with the original huddle spirit!
4. Mood check with a GIF!
How about a check-in activity with your teams while using GIF images? Everyone’s used a GIF before, as a picture paints a thousand words. Why not use a moving one to let teams share how they’re feeling? Kick the huddle off by asking each member or team how they’re doing with a GIF that sums up the mood. They might use a massive fist bump to celebrate a victory, or a grumpy cat to show they’re stressed. A visual check-in can spark laughter and set a lighthearted tone on the day’s huddle.
5. Use a “biggest challenge wall”
Your huddle meeting is the best time for teams to address whatever stands in their way. Create a space in the office and call it the “biggest challenge wall.” Make it a big, bright board where sticky notes can go up at a moment’s notice for team members to wrap their heads around. A visually-appealing board with notes on it keeps things collaborative and solution-driven. This one can work well for virtual teams, switching out the board for a shared digital whiteboard for even more troubleshooting.
6. “Switch it up” agenda
Over a long period, routines can make huddles feel stale, so switch it up a bit by creating a rotation on who delivers the day’s agenda. Start by using your more senior members to give newer employees an idea of what a good example huddle is. You’ll be keeping the meeting fresh, so encourage each person to deliver the huddle in whichever way they feel works best. Rotate responsibility for new insights and input into your huddle meetings!
7. What’s in my mug?
A warmup energizer can put a fun little spin on the huddle. Just simply ask them “What’s in your mug today” in your huddled circle. Get them to spill the tea (not literally, please) on what drink gets them through the day, and consider supplying some new drinks as a talking point among your teams. A nice new batch of imported morning coffee can reinvigorate a huddle meeting for your whole squad.
8. Playlist top picks
Music always brings people together and injects a quick burst of energy into a huddle meeting. Set a positive tone by asking one person each day to share a top-playlist pick, a song that’s stuck in their head (in Germany they actually call this “Ohrwurm,” meaning earworm!) Motivational songs and nostalgic anthems help huddle squads spark conversations, so use them for a soundtrack that captures the team’s vibe.
9. Mystery sound
Leading on from a playlist top pick, how about one mystery sound to kickstart your huddles in a unique way? Look up some short, unusual sounds online, things like birds chirping, lonely whale cries, or someone striking a gong, just use a sound that gets people thinking. This is a playful way to kick off your huddle and get some laughs. Ask your attendees to write down their guesses at the start of the huddle and reveal them at the end. Break the ice for a productive day ahead!
10. Would I lie to you?
A quickfire morning meeting game of “Would I Lie to You?” is like a spin on two truths and a lie. It’s a great little game for players to learn fun tidbits about each other. Ask one person at the start of the meeting to share two statements: one of them being true and one made-up. You might reveal some surprising hobbies and set up a connection that injects some new energy into a huddle.
11. Micro-learnings
Why not occasionally switch up the opening of your huddle with a period dedicated to micro-learning? Keep it work-related like quickfire summaries on how to organize your inbox. Or you can get random with facts on the animal kingdom, providing nuggets of information to brighten each person’s day. A rapid round of micro-learning can work as a great energizer warmup activity for your huddles.
12. Quick reflections on yesterday
Huddles give teams a great chance to reflect and rewind on recent challenges. Ask each person to quickly share one highlight, challenge, or key takeaway from yesterday’s work. This simple reflective activity can create an atmosphere of acknowledgment in your teams. Light up the huddle with a moment dedicated to how work went yesterday. It’s a great way to check in on your team and ensure that every effort counts toward the team’s goals.
13. Use a famous quote
Bringing some inspiration into a huddle is a fun way to get members thinking while hopefully inspiring them. The right quote can spark laughter or even offer a new perspective on a work challenge, so share a fun or insightful quote as part of your next huddle. Have people try to guess who said the quote to turn it into a quick team-building activity. Here’s a couple to get you started:
"It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light." - Aristotle
"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." - C.S. Lewis
"Champions keep playing until they get it right." - Billie Jean King
14. A trusty meme generator
Sometimes in a huddle, laughter really is the best medicine. Why not use an online meme generator to create a relatable, work-themed meme before the huddle? It can be beneficial for morale to sometimes poke fun at current challenges and celebrate recent wins. Memes work as fantastic icebreakers, especially for new recruits who want something to laugh at with their new teammates. They add a lighthearted injection of fun and personality into the daily routine, great for spicing up a huddle.
15. Switch up the huddle spot
Ever considered adding a new spin to your regular huddles? An environment change can freshen the procedure, breaking from the monotony and giving huddlers something new to look at. If you host yours in the office, branch out into a lounge, the canteen or even an outdoor area for a breath of fresh air. If your huddle team is remote, try some playful virtual backgrounds and dial into the meeting from The Great Wall of China (kind of…). A change can be as good as a rest for your teams, keeping them engaged and absorbing new surroundings.
16. Reverse roles
For your next huddle, try flipping the script by reversing the roles of your team members. Switching roles in your teams works wonders for problem-solving. Marketers can try troubleshooting for operations team members, or a designer might have something to say about a challenge faced by HR. Make the environment light and low-pressure, and you might find unique perspectives on your team’s current issues. The learning experience is more important than perfection, so don’t be afraid to experiment!
17. Share a box of goodies
Sometimes a delectable snack can lift everyone’s spirits in a huddle. It doesn’t need to be anything super-extravagant, just a shared box of treats for everyone at the start of a huddle. Pastries, assorted donuts, and bagels go down a treat and can get everyone into a positive frame of mind to tackle their challenges. Make your huddles something to look forward to with a box of mouth-watering goodness to share.
18. Rapid-fire wins
Focusing on your team’s recent wins puts them in a productive mindset. Start your next huddle with a lightning round of quick wins. Have each member share something they’re proud of, either work-related or from their personal life. Celebrating small successes boosts energy and builds momentum, keeping the team motivated and positive.
19. Lightning Q&A
Use a few minutes in the huddle for some rapid-fire questions that are light and engaging. They can be work-related, or a little more on the fun side from outside the office. Insert this Q&A at any point of the huddle and give it an engaging name like “speed round spotlight” or “quickfire questions.” You’ll be livening up the atmosphere and making the huddle more interactive for everyone involved.
20. Micro goals
Our final recommendation is a forward-thinking activity for each and every member in the huddle. Wrap up your next team huddle with your energies focused on a micro goal to achieve before the next team meeting. It might be tackling that spreadsheet that’s been giving you the side-eye from the corner of your screen all day. Helping members set some small and achievable micro-goals can help people to feel more productive. Small wins celebrated in the right way can lead to big smiles!
Huddle in a breathtaking location for next-level results!
Daily team huddles are fantastic for project updates, but have you considered how much more your team could accomplish by doing them on an unforgettable team-building retreat? Think about it; the whole team gathered in a stunning location, with all the space and inspiration needed to spark cutting-edge ideas.
This is exactly what we did for the guys at Mynd. We had the pleasure of organizing a one-of-a-kind hackathon team-building retreat in Barcelona, inspiring them as a unit, check out their trip here!
At Surf Office, organizing team retreats is what we do best.
Here’s what we offer:
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- Onsite support, tailored to your needs? Absolutely ✅
Not only this but we also have access to 160+ locations around Europe, APAC, the US, Latin America, and now Africa, meaning the sky is your limit when it comes to choosing the right location for you and your team.
Let us sort out the tricky logistics for you. Spaces are very limited, so get in touch now!
