It’s a longstanding office joke – some companies need to have a meeting just to schedule a meeting.
But the reality for project managers is that meetings are an essential component of every project, and none is more important than the project kick-off meeting.
Just as any good project needs detailed direction, the project kick-off meeting needs as much thought, preparation and attention to specific assignments in order to energize team members and ensure everyone understands their respective role.
Set the Tone
At the heart of any project kick-off meeting is a clear agenda. This is how you, as the project manager, can direct the course of the meeting and dictate what information is shared and which assignments are made.
A clear agenda should include the purpose of the project, a discussion about deliverables and goals, benchmarks and success factors for the project, along with direction about the communication plan and the overall project plan.
You should provide a meeting agenda to participants in advance of the kick-off meeting to allow your team members time to familiarize themselves with how the meeting will be structured.
Take the Lead
A successful project has a clear leader, and at the start of the kick-off meeting, you must present yourself as the leader, welcoming the team and initiating introductions so everyone knows who all is on the team.
As project manager, you should briefly walk everyone through the agenda, taking a few seconds to speak on each item before beginning the meeting with a discussion of the project assumptions and how you developed the project plan.
Go into detail and explain your reasoning behind the plan, but make sure to convey to your team that you are open to suggestions and ideas as the project progresses. Take time to address each task in the project plan, offering details where needed.
Don’t lose sight of the fact that the project plan, much like the schedule, is in its infancy, and that you are relying on your team to help you complete all the tasks within the time allotted.
Be upfront with your team about any potential issues or possible bottlenecks in the project plan that might impact the schedule.
Establish Parameters and Set Expectations
Because successful projects rely on communication, take a minute to allow the group to decide on the best time to hold regular meetings to update progress. Talk to your team about how important participation in future meetings will be.
It’s important that you begin to shape the narrative of how the project will proceed, and teamwork will be critical to its success. Talk about teamwork and plan some team activities to take place after the kick-off.
As project manager, you must set expectations for the project. If it’s time sensitive, convey that. If time off will be limited, make that clear. Have an open discussion about balancing work and home life if longer than normal work days are anticipated.
Begin to forge the team mentality by assigning specific tasks to individuals, thereby shifting some responsibility to help empower others and focus them on the goal.
Speaking of Communication
Communication is paramount to the success of any project, and the kick-off meeting should focus strongly on the need for clear and direct conversation, detailed written reports and well-planned meetings that maximize time.
Typical projects incorporate a variety of communication channels from the weekly status meeting, project plan updates, planning sessions to discuss and assign tasks and management updates.
Take time to discuss every communication channel that will be initiated and stress to team members the importance of each.
Don’t forget to talk about more casual communication means, from electronic mail to online discussion forums.
Opening the Floor
Once you covered the agenda, open up the end of the meeting for questions and comments from the team, thereby giving them a chance to speak freely.
Keep an eye on the clock, however. Planned meetings should adhere to a relatively strict schedule to avoid dragging on too long.
If there are more questions than you think can be answered succinctly, instruct your team to send you feedback and thoughts via email with the understanding that the responses will be acknowledged and addressed at the next meeting.
Before adjourning, take a moment to summarize the important points of the meeting, revisit the action items with immediate start dates, and outline the next steps.
Summing Up
A project kick-off meeting can be just as important as the time and energy that goes into developing the project itself.
It’s your first and best chance to set a successful tone for the duration of the project, demonstrate your leadership abilities, establish parameters for organization, communication and time management and begin empowering your team.
Take advantage of the opportunity, make it your own and show that you are the right person to direct the project to completion.
