This article outlines an approach you can use to lead an Action Planning session with your team.
In this article:
Overview
This article outlines an approach you can use to lead an Action Planning session with your team.
Feel free to adjust aspects of this guide to work better for you and your team. Be sure to consider the time your team has available, the location/venue, and the number of employees involved.
Learn more about Action Planning.
Getting Started
Get Into the Right Mindset
- If you are defensive about the results, your team won’t likely offer meaningful discussion
- If your team members don't perceive that you're taking the task seriously, team members may become even more disengaged as a result
- Avoid rushing to judgment or conclusions based on your scores, perceptions of what your team is saying may not be reality
Plan the Meeting
- Select a date, time, and location- allocate an hour for this meeting
- The following critical Action Planning steps can serve as an effective meeting agenda:
- Why: Why did we complete the survey?
- Results: Distribute your engagement results with your team
- Discuss: What do these results mean for our team?
- Select: Which one or two items should the meeting focus on?
- Plan: Brainstorm possible actions with your team
- Execute: Follow up on your Action Plan regularly
Why: Why Did We Complete the Survey?
The goal of the survey is to build a better workplace together. The goal of Action Planning is to become a more collaborative, more productive, and more engaged team.
Each person in the workgroup, not just the manager, is responsible for driving engagement. Engagement is more than job satisfaction, it's about building a team and workplace you can be proud of, and a job that fulfills you and sparks passion.
Results: Distribute Your Engagement Results with Your Team
It's recommended that survey results be shared with your team before the meeting to ensure each member is informed and aware of survey results.
The PDF export of the Overview report is typically used for this purpose.
Discuss: What Do These Results Mean for Our Team?
Review the survey and each question, asking questions to encourage discussion from your team.
Some common examples to encourage discussion:
- What were you thinking about when you answered this item?
- What would a “Strongly Agree” look like on this item?
- What are we doing that makes this a strong or a weak item?
- What do we need to do to improve on this item?
Select: Which One or Two Items Should the Meeting Focus On?
As a team, decide on one or two survey items that you and your team will work on together. You can continue to further a team's strengths, identify and improve areas, or both.
Ultimately, the goal is to decide on these actions as a team to ensure each member is engaged and excited about your new focus.
If you're having trouble agreeing on a focus area, the following are some ways to find consensus amongst your team:
- Give each team member two choices- they can choose two different items or vote twice for a single item
- Team members can vote via a show of hands, a private ballot, or another method of your choice
Plan: Brainstorm Potential Actions with Your Team
Think about the focus item decided upon in the previous step- invite your team to contribute ideas to act on and improve the previously mentioned focus item.
Encourage open discussion and record the ideas that emerge from the brainstorming via a whiteboard, flipchart, etc.
Once you and your team have collected a list of different ideas, work with your team to narrow the ideas according to those that are specific, measurable, and within your team's sphere of control. Look for ideas that can act as quick wins, as well as larger ideas so you can build momentum while working towards the greater goal. Identify and appoint a team member to be held responsible for each action item.
Decide on a schedule to review your progress. Record your team's commitments on the Action Plan/Insights tab in the survey's analytics.
Execute: Follow Up on Your Action Plan Regularly
As you and your team are progressing through the action items, it's important to set time aside to check on your progress and communicate with your team.