The Daily Stand-Ups Anti-Pattern (+ Alternative Async Methods for Planning, Trust, and Momentum)

Jun 25, 2024

Gray McKenzie, Founder and CEO of ZenPilot and former host of Agency Journey, delves into the pitfalls of daily stand-up meetings. He argues they often mask poor planning and lack of clear expectations. Instead, he champions asynchronous methods to foster trust and maintain momentum in remote teams. The discussion highlights the importance of celebrating wins, the need for clear communication, and the benefits of self-reflection in identifying team inefficiencies. Gray provides actionable strategies for enhancing productivity without relying solely on stand-ups.

Ask episode

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

Intro

00:00 • 2min

Rethinking Daily Stand-Ups

01:45 • 25min

Understanding Project Planning Dynamics

26:16 • 3min

Enhancing Stand-Ups with a Quadrant Framework

28:49 • 5min

Building Trust and Transparency in Teams

33:29 • 9min

Enhancing Team Efficiency Through Reflection and Communication

42:48 • 5min

In this episode of Agency Journey, Gray and Kuba discuss the pros and cons of daily standup meetings and explore alternative approaches for remote teams. They break down why many companies still rely on standups and offer strategies to instead build trust, maintain momentum, and improve planning asynchronously.

Episode Insights:

💡 Daily standups are often a crutch for poor planning or lack of clear expectations

💡 Trust is built when expectations are consistently met over time

💡 Asynchronous tools like ClickUp can replace many standup functions if used properly

💡 Celebrating wins and progress is crucial for remote team momentum

💡 Consider if standups are truly necessary or if they've become an inefficient habit

💡 Clear communication and transparency about expectations are key in building trust

💡 Journaling and self-reflection can help identify areas for improvement in team processes

Resources Mentioned:

🌐 ZenPilot: https://www.zenpilot.com/?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-297-gray-daily-standups-anti-pattern

🌐 Gray’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/graymackenzie/

⚒️ ClickUp: https://www.clickup.com/?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-297-gray-daily-standups-anti-pattern

⚒️ 15Five: https://www.15five.com/?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-297-gray-daily-standups-anti-pattern

⚒️ HubStaff

⚒️ Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS): https://www.eosworldwide.com//?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-297-gray-daily-standups-anti-pattern

📦 ZenPilot’s Agency Client Health Tracker: https://www.zenpilot.com/agency-client-health-tracker/?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-297-gray-daily-standups-anti-pattern

----------------------------------

Brought to you by ZenPilot, ClickUp’s #1 Solutions Partner with 2,700+ agency ops makeovers under our belt.

📕 Read our in-depth, 8000-word How to Use ClickUp Guide: https://www.zenpilot.com/blog/how-to-use-clickup/?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-297-gray-daily-standups-anti-pattern

👉 Don’t forget to follow and rate us on your preferred podcast platforms. We’re also on YouTube: @ZenPilot