Every Tuesday, everyone in our office gathers around the boardroom table for our weekly team meeting.
Every Tuesday in this very same meeting, we do a terrifying team exercise.
Starting with one person (typically chosen at random), we go around the group in a circle, either clockwise or counter-clockwise (also picked at random), from the Chosen One.
Each team member shares 3 things.
A goal — for the present week.
A struggle — recently or from the week prior.
A win — recently or from the week prior.
GOAL-STRUGGLE-WIN.
Goal answers might vary from “drink more water” to “get a website up and running by close of business Friday.”
Struggle answers might vary from “I’m in the middle of moving house so I apologise if I seem a bit frazzled” to “no struggles this week, smooth sailing all the way to Spain.”
Win answers might vary from “we helped X client get 640 landing page sign-ups, which was a great result” to “I was really proud I kept to my gym schedule all through last week. Yaaaaay!”
It only sounds terrifying.
The three main things we see emerging consistently are laughter, learning, and support.
Answer length can vary from 30 seconds to 3 minutes.
What people share is up to them.
It can be something personal or professional, silly or serious.
It can be in any order — WIN-STRUGGLE-GOAL, for example.
It can be more than one goal, win, or struggle — WIN-WIN-WIN, for example.
GOALS are often linked with STRUGGLES.
Brain freeze is expected.
Rambling is expected.
Not enough information is expected.
Too much information is expected.
Dogs are allowed to move about freely and rest on people’s laps.
If you can’t think of something, you are forced to talk until you come up with something brilliant.
Just kidding, you can pass.
If I make a joke and someone doesn’t laugh, I press a small red button under the desk and a wire hooked up to their chair delivers a violent electric shock. Mwahahaha.
That doesn’t actually happen. People always laugh at my jokes.
Not everyone perfectly answers all 3 items — that’s also expected.
Perfectionism is left at the door.
Supportism is the main type of “ism.”
The group gives a round of applause at the end of each answer.
No answers are formally recorded.
GOAL-STRUGGLE-WIN is a chance for team members to understand what things are happening in each other’s lives and to better understand the work that happens across each department, since we have strategists, web developers, copywriters, graphic designers, videographers, project managers, account managers, and interns all working on different things.
Crucially, it’s also a chance to celebrate recent achievements and be recognised in a safe and supportive group space.
It’s a chance to be appreciated.
It’s a chance to share whatever is on people’s minds.
And it’s a chance to draw on the collective brain power of the group.
I’m always amazed by how quickly STRUGGLES can be turned into WINS when you bring together a bunch of quirky personalities from different backgrounds, countries, skillsets, and life philosophies.
Many minds can smush mountains.
GOAL-STRUGGLE-WIN might not work exactly the same for every type of workplace or culture, but if it sounds like something you might want to adapt and try out in your own way, with your own team, why not give it a go?
Again, it only sounds terrifying.
Cheers,
Broden Johnson, Yakk Founder
