043 - Stand up to bad meetings with Nick Topping

Show overview:
In this episode we interview Nick Topping, Head of Marketing and Business Development at SafetyCulture. SafetyCulture has created a platform for safety and quality along with its flagship product iAuditor, a digital checklisting tool to mobilize inspections and audits for operational excellence. Nick is based in the United States, but enjoys traveling for work when he is able to places like Australia, The United Kingdom, and New Zealand. Listen as Nick details SafetyCulture’s unique take on company meetings.

Nick’s Why:
Nick has always wanted to make an impact. He started his career in sales and consulting and did sales and marketing in healthcare for over ten years. A couple years ago he got the chance to work at SafetyCulture where he is able to make a global impact. The company has had customers tell them that their products have saved lives and helped individuals build better workplaces globally.
SafetyCulture has stand up meetings. What do those look like and how does SafetyCulture use them?

SafetyCulture uses stand up meetings in a variety of different ways. They are typically fifteen-minute “stand ups” with an individual team or about a certain project. The meetings are a chance to come together quickly, touch base on the most important things, and come out with some decisions and action items.

What is the typical size of the stand up meetings?
The majority of the meetings are pretty small, usually about five to ten people. They used to have meetings with the whole company, but have been more difficult due to the rapid growth of the company, which now has more than 300 employees.

How do stand up meetings compare to regular meetings? What is the frequency of meetings like?
The meetings are meant to help get things done, give quick updates, mention accomplishments, and call out any blockers that may hinder the team or a project. They help make thirty minute or hour meetings later in the week unnecessary and reduce office "fly-bys". Stand ups meetings can be daily or weekly. They are typically scheduled, and employees are invited from the desired teams or project group.

What tactics does SafetyCulture use for virtual meeting communications?
SafetyCulture has been using Google Hangouts and Zoom. They also use Slack as an internal communication tool to stay on top of things. These help if there is nothing important to cover, the meetings may be canceled.

What does the workflow of the meetings look like?
1. What am I focused on today, and this week?
2. What are my accomplishments?
3. What help can I get for any blockers?
4. What are my main focus/action items for the coming days or weeks?

How does this type of meeting affect the company’s internal culture?
Immediate benefits include quicker decisions, being able to work quickly towards a goal, and being able to avoid longer meetings getting in the way. There is a lot of teamwork, teambuilding, and idea sharing. People are able to focus more on their work and there is less micromanagement as the pressure of a project is put on the process instead of the people. These meetings help the team to be more agile across the business.

Nick’s book recommendation:
Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity by Kim Scott: https://www.amazon.com/Radical-Candor...
How to contact Nick:
LinkedIn:   / nicktopping  
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nicktopping?lang=en
Website: www.safetyculture.com