Robin has a standing meeting, every Friday, from 3 to 4 PM. That hour is blocked on his calendar for the full year. Every once in a while, due to pressing matters, he has to change it. But, he doesn’t let it go. He moves to earlier in the day or week, or first thing the following week.

He uses the time to drop by the desk of the folks who report to him, or sometimes, those who support the folks on his team. He checks in, asks how things are going. Whatever they tell him, he listens and supports. And, he finds a way to connect whatever they discuss to the business strategy and priorities. He believes those few moments reinforce what’s important and helps everyone to have a clear idea of how their daily work – successes and struggles – connects to the big picture. “Those brief moments with folks are meaningful. They help us stay aligned.”

Try it. Experience the difference an hour can make to getting your team members on the same page, all moving in the same direction.