I used to dread our daily standups. 45 minutes of rambling updates, side conversations, and people checking their phones. Half the team would zone out, and we'd end up more confused than when we started.
Sound familiar? Here's the thing: Most standups fail because they're trying to solve too many problems at once.
After testing dozens of formats with remote teams, I've found the one that actually works. It takes exactly 15 minutes, keeps everyone engaged, and actually moves projects forward.
Why Most Standups Suck
The 5 Standup Killers
- 1. No time limit - "Quick" updates that take 10 minutes each
- 2. Status reports - Boring recaps of what everyone already knows
- 3. Problem-solving - Trying to fix issues with the whole team listening
- 4. No structure - Random order, random topics, random length
- 5. Wrong focus - Yesterday's work instead of today's priorities
The 15-Minute Formula
Here's the exact format we use. It works for teams of 3-12 people, remote or in-person:
The FOCUS Format
F - Finish Line (2 minutes)
What: Quick reminder of this week's main goal
"This week we're launching the Johnson campaign and finishing the Miller website redesign."
O - Obstacles (3 minutes)
What: Blockers that need immediate attention
"I'm waiting for client approval on the homepage copy" or "The design files aren't loading in Figma"
C - Commitments (8 minutes)
What: Each person shares ONE priority for today (1 minute max per person)
"Today I'm finishing the email templates and sending them to Sarah for review"
U - Urgent Updates (1 minute)
What: Critical info everyone needs to know RIGHT NOW
"Client moved the deadline to Friday" or "New team member starts Monday"
S - Support Needed (1 minute)
What: Quick asks for help (detailed discussions happen after)
"Can someone review my copy after lunch?" or "I need 10 minutes with Jake about the API"
The Magic Rules
The format only works if you follow these non-negotiable rules:
- • Start exactly on time, every time
- • Use a visible timer (we use Taskade's built-in timer)
- • Stand up (even on video calls)
- • Go in the same order every day
- • End at 15 minutes, no exceptions
- • Take detailed discussions offline
- • Wait for latecomers
- • Allow side conversations
- • Solve problems in the standup
- • Give detailed status reports
- • Let anyone go over their time
- • Skip days "because nothing's happening"
Remote Team Modifications
For remote teams, add these tweaks:
Remote-Specific Rules
- Camera on, always: You can tell when someone's multitasking
- Mute when not talking: Background noise kills the flow
- Use a shared screen: Show the week's goals and current blockers
- Record for absent team members: 15 minutes is easy to catch up on
- Follow up in chat: Drop action items in your team channel immediately after
What Actually Happens
Here's a real example from our team standup yesterday:
Tuesday, January 7th - 9:00 AM
Finish Line (Christy, 1 min):
"This week we're launching the Peterson rebrand and getting the Williams proposal approved. Both due Friday."
Obstacles (Team, 2 mins):
Sarah: "Still waiting on logo feedback from Peterson"
Mike: "Williams wants to add video, but we didn't scope that"
Commitments (Everyone, 8 mins):
Sarah: "Finishing Peterson's business card designs"
Mike: "Calling Williams about video scope change"
Jake: "Setting up Peterson's website staging environment"
Lisa: "Writing Williams proposal executive summary"
Tom: "Testing Peterson's email templates"
Amy: "Scheduling Peterson launch meeting for Thursday"
Dan: "Reviewing Williams wireframes with UX feedback"
Christy: "Following up on three new leads from yesterday"
Urgent Updates (Christy, 1 min):
"Peterson moved their launch meeting to Thursday 2 PM. Amy will send new calendar invites."
Support Needed (Team, 3 mins):
Mike: "Need 15 minutes with Lisa about Williams pricing after this"
Jake: "Can someone test the staging site on mobile? I'll drop the link in Slack"
Tom: "Sarah, can you check if the email colors match the brand guide?"
Total time: 14 minutes, 32 seconds
The First Week Will Be Rough
Let me be honest: your team will resist this format at first. They're used to longer, looser meetings. Here's how to handle the pushback:
Common Objections (And Your Responses)
"15 minutes isn't enough time!"
"We're not trying to solve everything in standup. We're just aligning on today's priorities. Detailed discussions happen after."
"But I need to explain the context!"
"If it takes more than 1 minute to explain, it needs its own meeting. Just tell us your one priority for today."
"What if something urgent comes up?"
"That's what the Urgent Updates section is for. If it's truly urgent, we'll handle it right after standup."
The Results
After 6 months of using this format, here's what changed:
- 100% attendance: When meetings are short and valuable, people show up
- Faster problem-solving: Issues get flagged immediately, not discovered days later
- Better accountability: Daily commitments create natural deadlines
- Less confusion: Everyone knows what everyone else is working on
- More focus: Teams stay aligned on weekly goals
Most importantly: People actually look forward to standup. It's the one meeting that makes everyone's day clearer, not more confusing.
Your Next Step
Try this format for exactly one week. Don't modify it, don't skip days, don't make exceptions. Just follow the FOCUS structure for 5 days straight.
I guarantee your team will be more aligned, more productive, and less frustrated by Friday. And if they're not? Go back to your old format. But I'm betting you won't want to.