B04 - Kick off the monthly cycle

When you get the approval in B03, it’s time to have a kick-off meeting for the monthly cycle.

Purpose

This management activity has two purposes:

• Team-building
• Informing the stakeholders of the plan for the upcoming month

Common pitfalls

Don’t limit the kick-off to boring, dry speeches and a review of the upcoming month, but instead, create a pleasant experience for everyone, as the team-building aspect of this meeting has priority. You can gather the whole team (plus external stakeholders when possible) and go hiking, go on a picnic, etc., and facilitate it properly to ensure that the two main purposes are satisfied.

Principles

The following principles play a significant role in this management activity:

• NUP4: Remember that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.
• NUP5: Don’t do anything without a clear purpose.