This is a highly opinionated view on best practices for running stand-up meetings. It’s based on the approach I’ve developed and refined through working with probably nearing a hundred product teams over the past 25 years.
Across all of them, one thing has held true: a good stand-up acts as the beating heart of a high-performing team.
Done well, they give the team focus, momentum, visibility, and a shared sense of purpose. Done badly – and sadly, that’s more common – it becomes a daily chore. A box-ticking exercise. Status update theatre. Or worse, a passive, rambling, soul-draining ritual no one looks forward to.
In this article, I’ll share the practices I’ve seen consistently work – and explain why they matter, not just what to do.
Focus on the work, not the people
I have a strong personal dislike for the classic Scrum-style format of “yesterday, today, blockers.” It reinforces the idea that the stand-up is about checking that everyone is doing something, rather than focusing on what truly matters: are we delivering? It encourages individual updates over team progress, and often results in only talking about the work people are actively doing – which means anything not being worked on, including stuck or neglected items, gets ignored.
Everything from here on is with the assumption that you are taking this approach.
Walk the board from right to left
The work closest to being in production is the most valuable because it’s closest to delivering impact. Until something is released, it delivers zero value – no customer benefit, no feedback, no outcome. It’s also where the most effort has already been invested, so leaving it unfinished carries the highest cost. By focusing on what’s nearly done first, you prioritise finishing over starting, reduce waste, and increase the chances of delivering real value sooner.
- Start from the right hand side of the board
- Focus on the work, ensure all work in progress has been discussed
- Conclude the stand up by asking
- If there’s anyone that hasn’t spoken?
- “Are we on track?” – A final call as an opportunity for anyone to raise any issues
Bias for action, delivery, and results
Stand-ups work best when they reinforce a culture of delivery. It’s not just about sharing what you’re doing – it’s about driving action, finishing work, and holding each other to a high standard. These behaviours help teams stay focused, accountable, and outcome-oriented.
- Focus on completion – what will it take to get this done?
- Use commitment language
- Take ownership
- Challenge one another to uphold best practices
Visible, present and engaged
Whether remote or in person, being visibly present and engaged is a basic sign of respect – especially for the person facilitating. It’s frustrating and disruptive when people appear distracted or disinterested, particularly in a short, focused meeting like a stand-up. Cameras off might be fine for a long company all-hands, but not for a 10-minute team check-in. The stand-up only works if everyone is paying attention and showing up fully.
- Bring your whole self, pay attention.
- Be on time
- Cameras on when remote
- Do not multi-task
- Gather together in person on office days, don’t stay at desks
Efficient and focused
Stand-ups are a tool for focus and momentum, not a catch-all meeting. When they drag or lose direction, they quickly become a waste of time – and people disengage. Keeping them brief and on-topic ensures they stay effective, energising, and sustainable. Updates should be concise and relevant to the team’s progress. Longer conversations needed can still happen – just not here.
- Keep it brief, aim for 10 minutes or less
- Talk less, be informative. Be as to-the-point as possible. Be on track and speak to what team needs to know
- Take conversations offline (agree how to follow up and who’s taking the action)
- Only team members contribute (i.e. not stakeholders, supporting roles, observers)
- Make sure the board is up to date before you start
- BUT, fun is good! A bit of informal chat, banter and jokes is ok
Well facilitated
A well-run stand-up doesn’t happen by accident – it needs strong facilitation. The facilitator sets the tone, keeps the meeting on track, and reinforces good habits. Without that, it’s easy for bad habits and practices to creep back in.
- Have a clear agenda and stick to it
- Be the pace setter
- Be energised
- Ensure you’re sticking to the agenda
- Ensure you’re adhering to best practices
Rotate the facilitator
The stand-up is ultimately for the team, not for the facilitator. Rotating who leads it is a powerful way to build shared ownership and reinforce that principle. When the same person always runs them, it can start to feel like their meeting – which subtly encourages passive behaviour, status reporting, and a lack of collective responsibility.
By rotating the facilitator, you signal that everyone has a role in making the stand-up effective. It keeps people engaged, encourages investment, and helps the whole team develop a shared understanding of what ‘good’ looks like.
But there’s a big caveat: facilitation still needs to be good. Make sure everyone taking the role:
- Is confident and capable of running an effective stand up
- Can hold the line if things go off course
- Is open to feedback
Importantly, someone still needs to be ultimately accountable for ensuring your stand-ups remain effective.
A great stand-up should energise the team, not drain it. If yours isn’t doing that, fix it.
Appendix
Stand up health check
Use this to periodically assess whether your stand-up is working as it should:
✅ Was everyone present and on time?
✅ If in person, did the team gather together (not stay at desks)?
✅ If remote, did everyone have their camera on?
✅ Was the board fully updated before you started?
✅ Did it finish within 10 minutes?
✅ Was everyone engaged and paying attention?
✅ Did everyone in the team speak and confirm what they’re doing?
✅ Was all work in progress discussed?
✅ Were any follow-up conversations taken offline, with a clear owner?
Further reading
Martin Fowler – Its Not Just Standing Up – a comprehensive guide to patterns and practices for daily stand-ups.