What can replace the usual “let’s work harder” at team standups?

Lately, I’ve been trying to shake things up at our daily standups. Every time I say something like “let’s do better today” or “let’s keep pushing,” I can just feel the energy drop. It’s like people hear these lines so often they just tune them out. Last week I tried switching it up and threw in a quote I saw on a sticker: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” It actually got a laugh and weirdly got people more involved in the meeting. Now I’m thinking maybe short quotes or something different might be better than those generic phrases. Anyone found a good replacement that people actually respond to?

 

That sounds familiar! We had the same problem with the usual pep talk lines that just didn’t move the needle anymore. What worked for us was adding in quick, relatable phrases that spark some emotion or thought — especially quotes tied to our goals. One time I used “It always seems impossible until it’s done” and people actually mentioned it later that day. If you’re looking for something more than just the typical clichés, this list of sales motivational quotes has a bunch of solid options. I usually grab one from there and tweak it a bit to make it fit our current vibe.