Start Strong: Why The Best Huddles Make Teams Unstoppable

Morning gathering? Team Huddle? Five to thrive? 

If you have employees, or have been one (trust me I know), these words could be the start to a terrifying scenario. Before you flinch to the sound of the word MEETING, especially with MORNING by its side, stay with me. 

After you read this article, the stress will be gone (besides helpful, it can actually be quite fun).

Don’t forget! 

Your business and your store IS your team. And when your team shines, your store shines even brighter 🌟. 

So let’s get to it!

If you have a busy store, you know things can get out of hand…bright and early. 🌞

And a sharp, concise, full of purpose morning meeting will help you prevent this from happening. 

And let me be clear, nobody likes to have extra work in the morning (newsflash), so let’s make it seem like it’s not dreadful extra work, but a secret weapon to help all of you feel more engaged with the day ahead. 

You should know that your team holds immense power. Their energy and empathy has a strong effect on anyone who enters your store.

When a customer walks in your store, they sense the vibes. They sense the stress, a grumpy face (even when hiding), a lack of organization. Or, the total opposite which is of course what you want! 

Imagine now a team that’s aligned, has the same drive to help, they know what empathy means and how to use it. (P.S. Empathy is one of the strongest qualities that can drive sales! You can check out a more in-depth article about it here)

Soo…let’s turn those valuable 10-15 minutes into a powerful daily ritual!

   👉🏻Keep it short

Keep it short, not because you’re a busy manager (though, yes you are🫠) but to keep your team attentive. To kickstart your day in the best way possible.

Extra tip: If you're not sure how to keep it short and simple the first few times, set a timer and try saying in 15 minutes what you want to say. 

    👉🏻Prepare and be consistent

And how will this huddle be concise, effective and short, you ask? Consistency turns a meeting into a habit. 

If it’s prepared in advance and if there is a certain specific agenda of course.

Be ready for your meetings of the week, plan your strategy, and set clear goals. 

Extra tip: If you have a group chat, a board and you feel like it, put the agenda up, let them know what you’re focusing on. 

   👉🏻Be different

What? 🤔

If it feels like groundhog day, nobody will like it. Differentiate your meetings. This time is precious. Keep the team engaged, motivated, make them want to be active. 

Extra tip: Use visual aids and quizzes and then don’t. Change it up! Differentiate the meetings, use different people in different roles. Have a “huddle jar” and let it decide the activity of the day.

   👉🏻Get people moving

Literally. Get the team physically moving. From a quick stretch, a 30-second brand quiz, or a fun mini challenge connected to your products.

Little energisers like these not only break the ice but also spark healthy competition and laughter.

Being in retail requires bundles of energy…and this comes directly from your teams. If your team brief is predictable, with sit down vibes you’re not firing up the brain or body! Momentum loves momentum, so get moving!

   👉🏻Be fresh 

People need variety to be engaged. Even if you keep them moving and use visuals or different spaces of the store, if it’s the same every day, it will become difficult to follow and understimulating. So change things up. Use different team members as facilitators. Encourage people to step up and lead.

Extra tip: Rotate your people. It gives everyone a voice and brings new energy to the room. 

   👉🏻Celebrate small wins

Recognize efforts. Give applause when needed. If you reached a goal, don’t let it go unacknowledged. 

This will build your team’s community sense. Let them find out what worked, where there is room for improvement. Always keep them engaged and actively participating. 

Extra tip: If you want to level it up, gamify it. Give a reward, create a win-wall where everyone posts daily wins.

   👉🏻Include questions

Curiosity is your friend. Be curious, let them know that you are open for questions for the rest of the day. Listen to them. Ask for help with the small things to make them feel important. 

Improvements can come from the people keeping your business alive, not only from managing members. Ask for their input and take notes. 

Some final thoughts 💪🏼:

It all starts with you. 

Stay positive even when things don’t look good. No matter what, you need to keep in mind these words, your guiding lights: connection, community, engagement, collaboration. 

Make morning huddles your secret superpower. 

Use them to lift energy, share focus, and grow confidence across your team! One session at a time.

Are you feeling motivated? Did you catch yourself wandering and feeling inspired to start a habit that will change how your team performs? 

Because it will, I promise you. 

For more in-depth analysis about what YOU specifically need, get in touch to discuss the right next step for your stores or to hire Kayleigh as a speaker.