The Best Way to Start Team Meetings | A Manager’s Guide to Increasing Engagement

What if I told you that the first five minutes of your team meeting could set the tone for the entire discussion?

Imagine going from low energy and disengagement in your team to a room full of motivated, positive, and focused team members just by changing how you start the meeting.

If you're struggling with low energy at the start of your meetings, there's a simple tool that can make all the difference, and it's called the segue. It's a quick and effective way to kick off your team meetings with positivity, build rapport, and create a sense of connection right from the start.

in today's episode, I'm going to show you how it works, why it's so effective, and how you can implement it with your team starting today.

Hey, everybody, and welcome back to the channel. If you're new here, I'm Doug Howard and I help managers and leaders develop practical strategies to lead with confidence, foster team collaboration, and create a positive workplace culture. If you're looking for actionable tips to improve your leadership skills, make sure to hit that subscribe button and turn on notifications that you never miss an episode.

In today's episode, we're focusing on a simple yet powerful technique that can make a big difference in your team's meetings, and it's called the segue. This tool is actually borrowed from a book called engineering operating systems, and it's pulled from a tool they use called the L10 meetings. Now, we're not going to get into all that stuff but what I want to focus on is that this is a fantastic way to get your team engaged, to set the right tone, and create a positive mindset going into the meeting. I'm going to explain how the segue works, why it's effective, and I'm going to share some tips on how to make the most out of it.

Why Meetings Start Off on the Wrong Foot

Let's start by acknowledging a common challenge. Many managers struggle with low energy and lack of focus at the beginning of their meetings. Often meetings start abruptly with a review of numbers or jumping straight into problems, which can create a tense or negative atmosphere.

This happens because managers tend to dive into the hard stuff right away too quickly without giving the team a chance to transition into a collaborative mindset. When you're starting with data or issues or critiques, this is going to put people down, it's going to put them on the defensive, and it's going to shut down creative thinking right from the beginning.

Furthermore, when meetings start on a negative note, it's a lot harder for team members to feel motivated or connected or engaged. So because of that, they're going to be less likely to contribute. They're going to be less likely to share ideas and they're going to be less likely to speak openly, which can ultimately limit the effectiveness of the entire meeting.

That's why I want to introduce you to the simple shift that can change everything, the segue.

What is the Segue?

The segue is a simple five minute check in that starts every meeting on a positive note. It involves each team member sharing one personal win and one professional win since the last team meeting. It's a small moment to celebrate successes, recognize progress, and connect as a team before you fully dive into the agenda.

Now you might be wondering, why does the segue work so well? It's because it shifts the team's mindset from focusing on problems to recognizing achievements and progress throughout the team. This short exercise builds rapport, strengthens relationships, and creates a more collaborative and supportive atmosphere. By starting with a positive energy, you set the stage for a more productive and engaged discussion.

Remember, it's not just about celebrating work accomplishments. Sharing personal wins with each other is going to help your team members see each other as people, not just colleagues, which is going to build a deeper level of trust.

Now let's move into talking about how you can implement the segue at your meetings.

Step 1 - Explain the Purpose

First, make sure your team understands why you're starting with a segue. Explain that it's about sharing positive moments, building connections, and setting the right tone for the meeting. You want to emphasize that it's not just small talk. It's a way to start off strong.

So you might say something like, we're going to start off each meeting by sharing one personal win and one professional win. This is our chance to recognize what's going well and for us to get into a positive mindset before we dive into the main discussion.

Step 2 - Set the Ground Rules

Keep it short and sweet. Keep it limited to five minutes total. Each person should share one personal win and one professional win. Encourage everyone to keep it light, positive, and concise. It's not about sharing long stories. It's not about sharing too much information. It's just about highlighting small successes or positive moments in their life.

Step 3 - Go First to Set the Example

As the manager in the group, you should go first to set the tone. So start by sharing a quick, authentic moment that reflects your own experiences. This encourages your team to follow suit and it sets the standard for what a good segue sounds like.

For example, you might say, personally, my win is that I finally completed a home project that I've been putting off. Professionally, I'm proud of the team's progress on the quarterly goals. Short, sweet, and simple like that. This gives your team a clear idea of what they should be sharing.

Step 4 - Encourage Participation

Ask everyone to share, but don't force anyone. everyone. If someone isn't comfortable with sharing, let them pass. The goal is to create a positive atmosphere, not to put people on the spot. So if you notice someone struggling, encourage them with prompts like what's something that made you smile this week? Or what's a small win that you're proud of?

Step 5 - Transition Smoothly to the Agenda

Once everyone has shared their personal and professional wins, acknowledge the positive energy from the segue and then use it as a springboard to move into the main agenda.

You might say something like, it's great to hear about everyone's wins. Let's use that positive momentum as we dive into today's meeting topics.

Doing this keeps the energy flowing and it helps the team feel more engaged and connected.

Extra Tips

Here are a few extra tips to make sure your segue is effective.

Keep it light and don't let it drag on. In fact, I recommend setting a five minute timer.

Encourage a mix of personal and professional wins to keep things balanced. You don't want it to be all business, but you don't want it to be all personal.

Lead by example with authenticity. Be real, don't be rehearsed.

If the team struggles at first, offer prompts like, what's something you accomplished this week that you're proud of? Or, what's a positive moment you experienced recently?

This simple five minute segue can transform your team meetings. By starting with one personal win and one professional win, you'll set a positive tone, boost engagement, and create an environment where your team feels connected and ready to contribute. It's a small change with a big impact, and it's something you can implement right away.

But setting the right tone is just the beginning. Once your meeting is off to a strong start, the next challenge is delivering feedback that drives real action. That's why I encourage you to check out my episode called How to Give Constructive Feedback Without the Stress. In that video, I'm going to share a step by step framework to help you deliver feedback that's clear, constructive, and leads to meaningful results. I'll see you in the next video.

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