Weekly check in meetings made easy: A guide for managers

The key to a successful team is good communication, and regular check ins can help ensure everyone is on the same page, motivated, and working toward common goals. Weekly check ins are more than just meetings - they allow teams to connect, share progress, tackle challenges, and plan for the week ahead. When done right, they can improve collaboration, increase productivity, and help everyone stay focused on what matters most. In this guide, we'll show you how to conduct weekly check ins like a boss.

What is a weekly check in?

A weekly check in is like a regular meeting where team members get together to discuss their progress, tackle challenges, and plan for the upcoming week. It's not like the quick daily stand-ups that focus on immediate tasks. Instead, it gives a wider view of ongoing projects and long-term goals. These meetings are a good time for the team to coordinate efforts, and look back on what they've accomplished.

Why is a weekly check in important?

Weekly check ins help keen your team on track and working well together. They help everyone communicate better, reduce misunderstandings, and ensure nothing falls through the cracks. They're also a great opportunity for team members to share things that might not come up in emails or messages. Plus, they keep everyone accountable. 

Weekly check ins help you catch problems early on, so you can deal with them before they become big issues. By talking about challenges regularly, we can find solutions faster and avoid delays. These meetings also boost team spirit by celebrating wins and giving props for hard work, which creates a positive vibe and keeps people motivated. Last, but not least, they help you plan and set clear goals for the week, so you know exactly what you need to focus on. 

5 steps for nailing your weekly check in

Step 1: Prepare for your weekly check in

It's important to keep your weekly check ins consistent to make them effective. Pick a day and time that works for everyone on the team and stick to it. This routine helps everyone plan their work around the check ins. Whether it's Monday morning to start the week off right or Friday afternoon to wrap things up, make sure it's convenient for everyone. 

An agenda helps keep the check in focused and productive. Without a clear agenda, meetings can easily go off track, wasting valuable time. Share the agenda with your team before the meeting. This way, everyone has time to prepare their updates, think about any issues they want to talk about, and decide on what they need to focus on for the upcoming week. When everyone is prepared, the meeting runs smoother, with everyone ready to join in the discussion.

Here is a sample comms message and agenda you can share with your team:

Step 2: Running your weekly check in

Starting your weekly check in with some positivity sets a good tone for the meeting. Recognise the team's achievements and highlight individual successes from the past week, like hitting project milestones, finishing tasks early, or any other big wins. Celebrating these victories not only lifts everyone's spirits but also encourages the team to keep going. When you kick off the meeting on a high note, you create a positive and motivating vibe that can really pump up the whole team.

Here are some examples to get you started…

• "I want to start by congratulating the team for successfully completing the client presentation ahead of schedule. Your hard work and dedication truly paid off, and the client was extremely impressed."
• "Kudos to everyone for surpassing our monthly sales target by 15%! This is a fantastic achievement that reflects our collective effort and commitment."
• "A big shoutout to Alex for resolving the critical bug in our software last week. Your quick thinking and problem-solving skills saved us a lot of time and potential customer dissatisfaction."

After you’ve set the tone, it’s time to move on to progress updates. Each team member should talk about what they've achieved since the last check in. Be specific and refer to your key performance indicators (KPIs) to show progress.

At Tability, we use the Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) framework. Every week, we update our key results metrics, share how confident we are about achieving them, and provide details on why we are or aren't confident.

When giving updates, don’t be shy to talk about any issues or problems you’re dealing with. This enables you to catch and fix things early on. Encourage everyone to be open about their challenges and suggest ways to fix them.

Here are some questions you can ask:

• What obstacles or roadblocks have you encountered this week?
• Are there any tasks or projects where you feel stuck or uncertain?
• Have you faced any unexpected issues that are hindering your progress?
• Is there anything that’s preventing you from meeting your goals or deadlines?
• Are there any resources or support you need to overcome current challenges?

Setting goals for the upcoming week will help keep your team on track with your overall objectives. Ensure everyone's goals align with the team and company goals, so they're clear and reachable. Then, prioritise tasks to make the most of your resources.

Here’s how to do this effectively:

Align individual and team goals with team and organisational objectives

Start by clearly explaining the organisation's goals and the specific objectives for your team. Then, work with each team member to set personal goals to help your team reach those larger strategic objectives. 

At Tability, we use a Strategy Map to align our goals…

Ensure goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART)

When setting goals, use the SMART criteria to ensure they are clear and attainable.

Keep these points in mind when setting goals:

• Make sure your goals are specific and clear. For example, instead of saying "improve sales," aim for something like "increase sales by 10% in the next quarter."
• Set measurable goals that can be tracked. For instance, you could aim to complete 5 customer feedback surveys each week.
• Ensure that your goals are achievable given the resources and constraints you have. Unrealistic goals can demotivate the team.
• Make sure your goals are relevant to the broader objectives of your team and organisation.
• Set deadlines to create a sense of urgency and keep the team focused. 

Plan and prioritise tasks 

Make sure your work directly contributes to your overall goals. Prioritise important tasks and tackle them first to make the biggest impact.

With Tability, you can plan and prioritise your tasks using the Kanban or Timeline view to help you stay focused. 

Step 3: Provide feedback and support

Constructive feedback helps team members understand their strengths and areas for improvement. Offering necessary resources and support helps ensure they are well-equipped to achieve their goals. 

When giving feedback, be clear, fair, and balanced. Point out specific behaviours or results that need improvement or recognition, and make sure your feedback is based on facts, not just opinions. Give actionable suggestions, like setting deadlines to avoid future delays.

You can help your team members improve their skills by suggesting relevant training programs or workshops. Talk about their career goals and see if there are opportunities for new responsibilities or projects they're interested in. Pair them with mentors or provide coaching to help them improve. Encourage them to get feedback from their peers and leaders to keep improving. 

Make sure your team has everything they need to succeed. Identify the tools, materials, or resources they need, and create a supportive environment where they can talk about their concerns and challenges. Schedule regular one-on-one check ins and weekly team meetings to offer individual support and address any needs.

Step 4: Wrap up the weekly check in

Go over the main points and decisions at the end of the meeting to highlight important topics and ensure you haven't missed anything. A quick recap should cover updates and progress shared by team members, challenges discussed with potential solutions, key goals and priorities for next week, and any important decisions or agreements you made.

Make it clear what action items need to be completed before your next check in. List the tasks, assign them to specific team members, and set deadlines. This will ensure everyone knows what they need to do, avoid any confusion about responsibilities, and give the team a clear plan for the week ahead.

Here is a sample summary doc for reference…

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Don't forget to finalise the date and time for our next weekly check in before finishing up. Keeping a regular schedule is important, but you should still double-check that the next meeting works for everyone. If there are any conflicts, address them immediately and determine a time that suits everyone on the team.

Tips for enhancing your weekly check in

Don't forget these tips for making your weekly team check ins better:

1. Keep it short and sweet: Stick to the agenda, time everything, and keep updates concise. Schedule separate meetings for deeper discussions when needed.

2. Mix it up: Let different team members take turns leading the check in. This will help everyone feel involved, spark creativity, and prevent burnout.

3. Embrace tech: Try using AI note-taking tools like Otter.ai and Notion to automate note-taking and organisation. They transcribe discussions in real-time, summarise key points, and even assign tasks to team members. They also make it quick and easy to search for past notes.

Using Tability to set goals and track progress

Teams can use Tability to set clear and measurable goals, ensuring everyone knows what they are working towards and what success looks like. Tability makes it easy to identify bottlenecks and determine whether your goals are on track. Tability also integrates with popular project management and communication tools - such as Asana, Jira, Notion and Slack - allowing for seamless workflow integration. 

Try Tability for free

The wrap

Having regular check ins each week can really boost team productivity and keep everyone on the same page. It's important to keep these meetings focused and engaging, so start off on a positive note by celebrating wins and progress. During the meeting, make sure to update everyone on their tasks, address any issues openly, and lay out the priorities for the upcoming week. Encourage your team to pitch in ideas and work together on solutions, and always provide supportive feedback and guidance.

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