Huddles are short, interactive team meetings, usually 15 to 30 minutes, which occur at all levels of the organization. They take place regularly, often daily or weekly, and they serve a variety of purposes in the Net Promoter System.

First, they create a regular rhythm of activity to refocus employees on the customer and build team commitment to earn customer advocacy. Next, they offer a venue to give and receive help from peers. And finally, they provide the opportunity to elevate broader issues to other parts of the organization, where they can best be resolved.

Huddles aren't just for frontline employees. Every unit and function can benefit from them, including the senior management team—and a senior team that huddles regularly is sending a powerful message to the organization.

The huddle helps teams develop a feeling of ownership for the customer experience and their own employee experience. It's a primary facilitator of culture and behavior change in an organization, and it's a big step on the road toward creating a self-directing, self-correcting workforce.