Monday morning blues? 4 ways to make the most of your Monday morning meeting

Monday mornings are famous for being a drag; these days, anything with an Internet meme featuring a kitten has to be true, after all. The thing about Mondays, though, is that they’re a key time to get things done, and for you to set the tone for your business week. Unless you want your week to pass by in a blur of moaning, unproductivity and copious cups of coffee, it’s essential that you get things right from that very first meeting. So, how do you harness the power of Monday mornings, rather than allowing the post-weekend slump to take over? Listen up; I’m going to tell you…

1. Set your goals for the week

‘Goal’ is such a business buzzword, but there are few others that live up to its power. It’s absolutely essential that you use that first Monday morning meeting to set the tone for the rest of the week, discuss what you’d like to have achieved come Friday afternoon, and ensure that everybody’s on the same page. Now is the time to ride on that post-weekend feeling and use what little energy everybody has for the good of the company; make sure that everybody is clear on your expectations for the upcoming week, and knows what needs to be done in order to achieve those goals.

2. Time for a pep talk

Setting the week’s goals is one thing, but giving your team a pep talk for the week ahead is another. You see, it’s not enough to let your team in on what’s expected; you also need to give them a reason to go about their daily tasks, and the motivation to turn Monday morning blues into a positive. Now is the time to remind them of the exciting things coming up for the company, and to embrace the work they do for you on a daily basis. If you use your Monday morning meeting as a catch-up from the week before, now is also a great time to reward achievements, and to identify anyone that worked particularly hard for you during the preceding week.

3. Encourage input

You are a team. The sooner a business starts identifying the individuals, and team effort, that make it what it is the better, and that Monday morning meeting is your chance to encourage input. Make it clear that sitting back and listening to what’s being said isn’t an option, and that you expect ideas from everybody. This will help staff members to feel a valued part of your team, recognise the significance of their place at your side, and inspire them to come forward with ideas that would otherwise go unheard. Who knows how productive your Mondays could be until you invite your team to contribute their thoughts?

4. Be visual

Monday mornings are a good time for visuals; for graphs, diagrams, Power Point presentations, and colourful infographics that get your message across in as few words as possible. The thing about visuals is that they’re so much easier to process first thing on a Monday morning than reams of copy, and you’ll find yourself thanked for easing everybody into the working week. Graphs and diagrams are also a great way to encourage staff members to be more receptive to what they’re being told and, if I’m honest, will be far easier for you to deliver.

It’s time that Monday mornings were embraced, rather than feared; here is a key opportunity to introduce a working week that’s fierce and bold, and ensure that your workforce is on the same page before a phone call has been made or an email answered. Monday morning blues be gone, because this week is going to be great.