The Set Point for the Week – Part 6

Humans Collaborating at an Extremely High Level.

Everyone that needs to be there, is there. They want to be there because all of the content is important, relevant, true, and transparent. We generally have 90-100% attendance at meetings because that’s what’s expected.

What about no-shows? If someone misses a meeting, their leader will follow up and be able to provide me with an explanation (if I ask). We never complain that folks are late or missing meetings. However, if someone misses a meeting or is late more than once, I would be inclined to reach out to them and ask them why. Maybe they struggle to get the kids off to school or have to care for elderly parents. I just want to get to the bottom of it. If I hear anything less than an emphatic, “I’ll make the meetings on time from now on,” I would offer them an opportunity to no longer participate in this meeting. I am not saying I would fire them; I just wouldn’t invite them to any more of the meetings. Jocko says, “you set your standards not by what you say but by what you tolerate.”^[1] We must have complete attendance, be on time and pay full attention. Everybody expects that from a leader.

A Thing of Beauty. Frankly, the Ops Meeting is very exhilarating. We started it from scratch 25 years ago with just a reporting format; now, we host a well-run machine where everybody knows what’s expected of them. As a result, everyone is accountable and performs at a high level; it’s the essence of a winning team –  a thing of beauty. And I’m quite convinced that it is the most important thing we do each week. In fact, for many years, I never-ever missed it, not even on vacation. I know it is just a meeting that starts on time, has a purpose, and operates from an agenda in less than one hour. Still, I believe it is an example of humans collaborating at an extremely high level.

Nowhere else in the world at 6 am on a Wednesday, every Wednesday, are people as fired up to paint houses as we are.

And the feeling lasts all week.

Build muscle. See you Thursday.

^[1] Willink and Babin, Extreme Ownership