The Friday Rhythm: Weekly Check-Ins That Actually Work
📌 About This Series:
You're about to get the exact framework we use to run projects and manage our team without losing our minds. Weekly plans that don't fall apart. Check-ins that aren't a waste of time. Meetings that people don't dread. This series shows you the whole map and gives you the turn-by-turn directions.
Part 1: Your Complete Template for Team & Project Management
Part 2: How AI Became My $20/Month Project Manager
📌 Part 3 of 4: The Friday Rhythm: Weekly Check-Ins That Actually Work
One afternoon, I caught myself asking my lead engineer if we could squeeze in one more project. Even though I knew he had a lot going on.
His face changed. And I knew something wasn't right.
What he told me next made me realize I'd been building a business on creaky flooring. And I had no idea until it was too late.
The Conversation That Changed Everything
I asked him to list everything he was working on. Just to make sure we could fit this new idea in somewhere.
He started listing. One by one.
I got to 15 things.
Fifteen.
And here's the part that made my stomach drop: most of them were things I had asked for at some point. Things I'd been wondering why they hadn't made any progress.
He wasn't getting any sleep.
And I had no idea.
Things Got Worse
As I dug in with the rest of the team, I started remembering signs I'd missed.
People had come to me. They'd say things like: "I just don't know how to prioritize all the things I need to get done at the same time."
My response at the time? "Just ask me."
I thought I was being helpful. I thought I was accessible.
But I didn't realize these were cries for help. Signs of a bigger problem.
I was the one loading the plate. And I had no visibility into how full it already was.
I knew I could not have another week like this go by.
I had to make a change. Then.
You're Not Alone
Here's what I see all the time in interior design studios, architecture firms, and other creative businesses:
You hire talented people. You give them projects. You assume they'll tell you if they're drowning.
But they don't.
Because:
They don't want to let you down
They think they can handle it
They don't realize how bad it's gotten until it's too late
And you? You're working just as hard. You're asking, "How's it going?" in passing.
They say, "Good."
And you move on.
The problem isn't lack of effort. It's a lack of visibility.
You don't know who's stuck, burned out, or falling behind until it's already a crisis.
By then, projects have stalled. Deadlines are missed. Trust is frayed.
The Flooring Metaphor
Think of your team members as the quality flooring your business and clients are built upon.
You, the leadership, are the foundation. The leveling of the floor. The quality of the padding underneath.
If you don't provide support as the foundation, your flooring will be creaky and scary to walk on.
No matter what's sitting on top, people will have a poor experience. It won't be a smooth walk for anyone.
The stakes:
Team members burn out (quietly, until they break)
Projects move forward "just by an inch every week" (nothing gets finished)
Leadership loses trust (because people stop being honest about what's really happening)
You know you need better check-ins. You just don't know how to do them without adding hours of meetings and follow-ups to everyone's week.
What I Did Immediately
After that conversation with my lead engineer, I told him to focus on one thing. Just one.
I promised I'd circle back.
Then I cleared my desk for two days.
I looked up best practices. I adapted them to small teams (5 to 30 people). I tweaked them to make the time investment extremely minimal.
My non-negotiable:
I was going to find a way to spend one hour per team member per week to make sure:
They're never left alone with their projects
There's constant accountability and ownership on both sides (leadership AND team member)
What shocked me:
I thought it would take an hour.
I brought it down to 30 minutes per week per team member.
And it actually works.
The "Duh" Moment
You don't need more time. You need the right structure.
Thirty minutes a week is all you need if you structure it right.
Here's what we built.
🕐 The Friday Pulse Check (Noon Deadline)
What It Is
A short form team members fill out every Friday before noon.
The Questions
Mood & Energy Level (dropdown/star rating) + optional text field
Anything happening in your personal life you would like me to be aware of? (optional text field)
How do you feel about your client work this week? (dropdown/star rating)
Any client specific wins or incidents? (Optional text field)
How do you feel about your progress on internal projects? (dropdown/star rating)
Please add context on your ratings for internal projects? (Optional text field)
What resources or decisions do you need from me to succeed next week? (Optional text field)
Why These Questions Work
✅ They're not overwhelming. Takes 3 minutes to fill out.
✅ They're designed to feel natural. Not interrogative. Just checking in.
✅ They capture what matters: Energy levels, client work, internal projects, blockers.
The Coaching
We remind the team regularly:
"Please take a couple of minutes to reset yourself before you fill out the form. We really want to know where you are so we can bring that to the meeting and really help you."
When people are given an opportunity to answer genuine questions about how they're doing, and they have time to process (they're not put on the spot), the answers are more honest.
That's why we start with a self check-in form that's simple and clear.
Why the Timing Matters
Team members submit the form anytime between the start of their shift and noon Friday.
Meetings start at 2 PM.
That gives leadership two hours to review the responses, look for red flags, and prepare.
What Leadership Does Between Noon and 2 PM
Review the forms. Look for:
Low energy or low progress scores (red flags)
Specific blockers or asks in the text fields
Patterns (e.g., "Three people mentioned the same issue")
This takes about 5 minutes per person.
You're not reacting to everything immediately. Sometimes there's nothing to address. Sometimes you need to process what they're reporting.
But the team knows their input isn't ignored. It's being digested and considered.
That trust loop is what makes people keep being honest.
🤝 The 15-Minute One-on-One (2 PM Start)
What It Is
A structured, face-to-face check-in. In-person or video. No text or email updates.
The Number One Rule: Time Management
Leadership leads the conversation.
Gently redirect when needed.
Target: 15 minutes per person.
If something needs a longer discussion? Schedule it separately. Another meeting, email, or async review.
Conversations should be highly targeted. But every check-in must achieve specific goals.
The Structure (What Must Happen Every Time)
1. Open with Gratitude (1 min)
Thank the team member for filling out the form. Acknowledge you reviewed it closely. Appreciate their openness and transparency.
Why this matters: Reinforces that they're listened to. Creates a positive loop so they keep being honest.
2. Personal Check-In (2 min)
Quick reference to anything flagged in the form. Low energy, stress, wins.
Not therapy. Just acknowledgement.
"I saw you mentioned X. How can I better support you during this time?"
3. Project List Accuracy (1 min)
Quick review: Review list of their projects. What's current? What's new? What's completed?
Make sure what you're tracking for this person is up to date.
4. Project-by-Project Review (8 to 10 min)
For each project this person is in charge of:
Is it on track?
Aligned with this week's goals?
Any roadblocks?
Any help needed?
The "Planned vs. Actual" Check:
"Did you hit the project goal we set last week? If not, what got in the way?"
If they didn't hit it: Pause. Talk about what blocked them. Make a plan to catch up.
If it's a recurring issue: Flag the project as "at risk" in your project management tool so there's visibility across the team.
Critical Leadership Requirement:
You must know each project the team member is working on.
You must know the current weekly goal for each project.
You should have enough understanding to catch unspoken issues or misrepresented updates.
You're not getting lost in details. But you're aware enough to ask smart questions and spot drift.
5. Next Week's Goals Check (2 min)
"Do you feel confident you can hit next week's targets? What do you need from me?"
6. Quick Notes and Action Items (1 min)
Record takeaways for both sides. What leadership will do. What team member will do.
🤖 The AI Assist (Reduce Manual Work)
Use AI tools to document the meeting:
For virtual meetings: Use Fathom (auto-generates summaries and action lists)
For in-person meetings: Use Plaud (physical AI voice recorder that does the same)
Why this matters:
Minimizes note-taking. Keeps focus on the conversation. Multiplies return on investment for the check-ins. More value, less effort.
Why This Works
After we implemented this system:
✅ I stopped being blindsided by burnout or stalled projects
✅ Team members stopped feeling alone with their work
✅ We caught drift on Friday and adjusted before the weekend (instead of discovering problems on Monday when it was too late)
The flooring is solid now.
The team is the flooring. Leadership is the foundation.
This system is the padding underneath. The thing that keeps the walk smooth, even when there's weight on top.
Without it? Creaky. Unstable. Scary to walk on.
With it? Solid. Reliable. People trust it.
The 30-Minute Promise
You thought better check-ins would mean more meetings, more time, more exhausting conversations.
But it's the opposite.
Thirty minutes a week per person gives you:
✅ Full visibility into who's thriving and who's stuck
✅ A chance to course-correct before it's a crisis
✅ A team that feels heard, supported, and accountable
And it takes less time than putting out fires after the fact.
The Vision vs. The Consequence
The Vision:
Projects stay on track. Team members feel supported. Leadership has visibility without micromanaging.
The flooring is solid. The walk is smooth.
The Consequence (If You Don't Fix This):
Another quarter of people quietly drowning.
Another project that should take three months taking a year.
Another talented person burning out because they didn't want to let you down.
You can't manage the load if you don't know what's on the plate.
Start Here
Build your own check-in form that mirrors your organization’s values and goals.
👉 [Want a copy of ours? Just reach out!]
Use Microsoft Forms, Google Forms, or Typeform to put it together and start using it this Friday.
Want help setting this up for your team, or building a custom version for your business, let's chat.
Next week: The full Team Lab structure. How we run a company-wide meeting that people actually want to show up for (and why it's worth the cost of having everyone in the room).
Previous chapter in the series: How AI Became My $20/Month Project Manager