Wins and blockers is the most efficient update format for teams. It captures the two things a manager most needs to know: what's going well (so you can celebrate and amplify it) and what's in the way (so you can remove it). Everything else is secondary.
Why Wins and Blockers Works
- It's fast to write - most people can answer both questions in under 5 minutes
- It's easy to scan - managers can read 10 updates in 10 minutes
- Wins create a paper trail for performance conversations
- Blockers surface problems before they become crises
How to Ask for It
The simplest way to start: send your team this message once, then send a reminder every week until it's a habit.
Hey team, Starting this week I want to collect a short weekly update from everyone. It's just two questions: 1. WINS - What did you get done or make progress on this week? 2. BLOCKERS - What's slowing you down or needs a decision? Keep it to bullet points. Takes 5 minutes. Send it to me by Friday at 5pm. I'll read every one. Thanks
That's the whole message. Don't add more questions. Don't add a form. Send it, set a reminder, and follow through on reading what comes back.
How to Act on What You Get
- Acknowledge every update - a quick reply or reaction signals that you read it
- Unblock blockers within 24 hours where possible - this is the whole point
- Reference wins in 1:1s and team meetings - people share more when they see it matters
- Keep a record - wins come back up in performance reviews and promotion conversations
Common Mistakes
- Asking too often - weekly is the right cadence for most teams
- Not reading the updates - people stop sending when they feel ignored
- Using a tool that buries updates - email threads and Slack channels lose context fast
- Making it too long - two sections is enough, don't add seven
WeekBlast collects wins and blockers automatically every week. Try it free.