Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/18157
begun to incorporate Retrospectives in his 20-person practice. “What our firm has enjoyed about the Start, Stop and Continue exercise is that everyone actively participates and ideas get traction which affect our systems, efficiencies and cultures. Furthermore, there is more buy-in to our execution plan when everyone has a voice in shaping the next quarter.” It’s important to note one of Mr. Shavitz’s key observations: success, in part, results from the fact that “everyone has a voice.” If a firm’s culture doesn’t permit frank exchange at every level, insights into critical components of business process, such as phone systems and intake, can be lost. One thing you certainly want to avoid is a whining session complete with office politics and point-scoring. Retrospectives are not group therapy. They are about business process and reacting to changing environments. The session leader needs to make sure to drive the discussion, prevent it from taking a dark turn and conclude it when brainstorming ceases. Also critical to the success of Start, Stop and Continue meetings is the repetitive nature of them. Conducting a single Retrospective isn’t going to advance the firm’s business processes. Holding regular meetings keeps everyone accountable and reminds them of what was discussed last time. FROM “START” TO EXECUTION Identifying change is one thing; implementing it is another. Start, Stop and Continue meetings can certainly help you identify your firm’s shortcomings and areas for optimization. However, if you don’t translate talk into action, the only thing you can claim to accomplish is spending 30 minutes with the team on a regular basis. As Mr. Shavitz points out, buy-in from the organization is enabled by everyone having a say. In addition, Start, Stop and Continue meetings are not only a great way to build cross-organizational process improvement, but they also serve as a team building exercise. Says Shavitz, “Not only is the exercise engaging, but it produces a lot of laughs as well.” ILTA Congratulations Peer to Peer! Winner of GCA’s 2010 Award Excellence in Association Communications Print Magazines Category 36 Project Management ILTA White Paper