Check-in and check-out processes are fundamental to the work we engage in and set the context for what we actually do. The shaping of questions to check-in at the start of a meeting will help your team avoid distractions and regain focus.
Check-In
I
Managing time is crucial for running effective meetings. As the session leader or facilitator, you can introduce different constraints to check-in to allow for more or less time. Examples are:
- “What’s one hope you are bringing to this meeting?”
- “What are you looking forward to this week?”
- “What has been the highlight of your day so far?”
The idea is to get people talking.
II
Think about what stage the group is at. What would be a useful question for them to check-in with?
Think about the context and the general mood.
• How much time do you have for the check-in? Does the question invite a 3-5 minute story from each person, a word or two, or a sentence or two?
• How can the check-in connect and support the rest of the agenda and the overall purpose of the gathering?
• What kind of tone do you want to create? Playful? Serious? Connecting? Learning something new about each other?
• Consider: What has happened? What are they about to do? Has there been conflict? Is this a celebration?
Choose a reflection question that will support the ambiance and atmosphere that you want to create.
Check-Out
- How are you feeling as you leave this meeting?
- What is one thing you are taking from today?
- Share a few words to describe how you are feeling.