BizSugar.com › Management › The Art of the Huddle

Every weekday at 9:30 a.m. sharp, the executive team at Bishop-Wisecarver, a Pittsburg, California, manufacturing company, files into the boardroom. They stand around the table; no sitting allowed. Then rat-a-tat-tat--each fires off a brief synopsis of the items on his or her frontmost burner. Ten minutes later all are back in the office armed with the information necessary to barrel efficiently through their days.

Bishop-Wisecarver is one of many companies embracing daily micromeetings--affectionately called "huddles" or "check-ins"--as a way to keep everyone moving in sync. Short daily meetings keep companies focused on the same strategic goals, ensure timely answers to pressing questions, and enforce accountability because everyone knows what everyone else is up to.