Tactical Meeting in Holacracy

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Tactical meetings are focused on a team’s operational work. They are fast-paced forums to synchronize team members for the week and their purpose is to triage issues that have come up recently and remove obstacles so that the work can move forward. 

Anything that can be done in a tactical meeting can also be done outside of it. Tactical meetings are a convenient opportunity for all circle members to come together to sync up on operational work. But waiting for a tactical meeting should never become a barrier to moving operational work forward.

The formal outputs of tactical meetings are accepted projects and actions. The Secretary works with the Facilitator to capture this information (and nothing else!) as requests are made and circle members agree to take on projects and actions.

  • Projects: Specific outcomes that require multiple and/or sequential actions to complete. Projects are phrased in the past tense as in, “Budget report completed.”
  • Actions: A concrete step that could be taken immediately toward the completion of a project.

1. Check-in Round

Notice what's got your attention, call it out, and let it go.

  • Sacred space: no cross-talk.
  • Get present: here and now.

2. Checklist Review

Bring transparency to recurring actions.

  • The facilitator reads a checklist of recurring actions by role. 
    • Participants respond: "check" or "not check".

3. Metrics Review

Build a picture of the current reality.

  • Each role-assigned metric reports on it briefly, highlighting the latest data.

4. Progress Updates

Report updates to key projects of the circle.

  • The facilitator reads each project on the circle's project board and asks:
    •  "Any update?"
  • The project owner either responds with "no updates" or shares what has changed since the last meeting.
    • Questions are allowed but not discussion.

5. Agenda Building

Build an agenda with placeholder headlines.

  • Build agenda of tensions to process
    • One or two words per item, no discussion.

6. Triage Issues

Get through all agenda items in the allotted time. To resolve each agenda item:
  • The facilitator asks: "What do you need?", typically:
    • Request for Someone to Get Something Done.
      • Ask "What role would you like to request that from?". If unknown, ask others for help and/or ask the Secretary to pull up governance to investigate. 
      • Ask the recipient of the request, "Would it serve your role's purpose or  accountabilities to take that action or work towards that outcome?"
      • Watch for implicit expectations. If the request doesn't fit any role's purpose or accountabilities, ask "Is this something you'd like to expect on an ongoing basis?"
    • Request Data or Opinions from Others.
      • Encourage the agenda item owner to engage others directly.
      • Watch for a shift from surfacing information to seeking approval. Ask, "What role has authority to make a decision here?" or, "Is this a pattern to address in  governance?"
    • Request Others' Attention (i.e., Make an Announcement).
      • Check, "Did you get what you needed?" or clarify, "Do you want to make space for questions or reactions?" before allowing responses.
      • Watch for anything other than sharing information (e.g., an implicit request).
    • Request an Ongoing Expectation. 
      • Option A: Governance Tension.
        • If the new expectation is directly about the roles and policies of the circle, then explain that those expectations can only be defined in governance. Then ask, "Would you like a reminder to bring this into the governance process?" Also  ask, “Until then, is there anything operationally that needs to be done?”
      • Option B: Relational Tension.
        • If the new expectation is about one’s general function as a partner (i.e., would apply regardless of role), then ask, "Would you like to request a new relational agreement?"
  • The secretary captures any next action or projects requested and accepted.
  • The facilitator asks: "Did you get what you need?"

7. Closing Round

Harvest learning from the meeting.
  • Each person can share closing reflections about the meeting. No discussion.

Visual Management System

Another key effective operation in Holocracy is the creation of a shared space where projects, checklists, and relevant metrics can be displayed and easily reviewed.

Tips For Facilitation

  • If analysis or discussion feels overdone, ask:
    • "What next-actions are needed here?"
    • "So, what do you need? (to the agenda item-owner)" 
  • If people are seeking consensus or buy-in, ask:
    • "What role has the authority to make a decision here?"
    • "Do we need to clarify authorities in governance?"
  • If leaders are referenced by name:
    • "What role are you engaging here?"
  • If a border or recurring pattern needs to change, ask:
    • "Is this a pattern to address in governance?"
  • If someone is trying to see a new expectation, ask:
    • "Is that something you'd like to expect on an ongoing basis?, if so, Whould you like an action to bring that to governance?"

References


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