Most new tools at work fail quietly. People sign in once, nobody follows up, and three months later it's forgotten. Goals and check-ins are no different. What makes them stick isn't the software. It's a simple weekly rhythm that leaders keep up.
This guide covers how to roll one out, whether you're a team of eight or a whole school.
The rhythm
Keep it to three pieces:
- Goals. Each person has two or three goals for the quarter, linked to what the team is trying to do.
- A weekly check-in. Three or four short questions every Friday. Managers read and reply.
- Regular one-on-ones. Fortnightly or monthly, using the check-ins and goals as the agenda.
That's it. Resist adding more until this is running smoothly.
Before launch: answer five questions
Write a short answer to each. If you can't, you're not ready to launch.
- What's the one thing we want from this? For example, "everyone knows what's expected of them this quarter" or "managers hear about problems early". One aim, not five.
- What will success look like in three months? Pick something you can check. Most people answering the weekly check-in, every person with current goals, one-on-ones happening on schedule.
- Who goes first? Leaders and managers should set their own goals and answer the check-in before anyone else. People copy what they see, not what they're told.
- Who answers questions? Name one person people can ask.
- What are we not asking for? Say plainly what this isn't. If check-ins aren't a performance rating, say so.
The first message
Tell people four things, in plain words:
- Why you're doing it, in one sentence.
- What you're asking them to do: set two or three goals and answer a short check-in each Friday.
- When it starts.
- Who sees what. Be clear about who reads check-in answers and goals. Honest answers depend on it.
Keep it short. A long launch email reads like a big change, and big changes get resisted.
Start small
A pilot with one team or one class is the easiest way to learn what works. Run it for four to six weeks, fix what's awkward, then widen it. The pilot team also becomes your proof: "this worked for the service team" carries more weight than any slide.
The first month
- Week 1. Everyone sets goals. Managers check each person has at least one goal with a date.
- Week 1, Friday. The first check-in goes out. Managers reply to every answer, even with one line.
- Weeks 2 to 4. Keep replying. Book first one-on-ones. Thank people who answer.
The replies matter more than anything else in the first month. A check-in that gets no response teaches people to stop answering.
Months two and three
- Look at the numbers. How many people answered this week? How many have current goals? Which teams are quiet?
- Talk to the quiet ones. Low use usually means something is unclear or inconvenient, not that people don't care.
- Review the questions. Drop anything that gets "n/a" every week.
- Share a win. A goal finished, a problem caught early. Real stories keep it going.
Keep it going
After three months, the rhythm should run itself. Two things keep it alive. Leaders keep doing it themselves. And goals get refreshed each quarter, so they never go stale.
In Lifetick
Setting up a team takes a few minutes on the web, and it's free for 14 days. The Set up page walks you through branding, core values, invites and your first check-in. One invite link brings people in, check-in starters cover each rhythm, and the Today page shows managers who's answered, what's waiting and who needs attention.
See Quick start: set up your team, Invite people with one link, Send your first check-in and Read the Today page. For schools, see Quick start: pilot with a mentor group.
Try it with your team.
Set goals, send a weekly check-in and run one-on-ones in one place. Free for 14 days, no card needed.
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