What Are You Bringing to the Meeting?
This check-in activity helps participants acknowledge their mental and emotional state before a meeting, fostering presence and focus. By creating space for personal acknowledgment, it allows individuals to transition into the collaborative environment more effectively.
Use this method at the beginning of a meeting or workshop to help participants transition from their previous activities and become fully present. It's particularly useful when participants are coming from diverse situations or when a demanding task requires focused attention.
Solves: Distracted participants, lack of engagement, lingering stress from previous tasks.
- 1
Step 1: Arrange participants in a circle or ensure everyone can see each other. (2 minutes)
- 2
Step 2: Explain the purpose of the check-in: to acknowledge personal states and transition into the meeting. Emphasize that sharing is brief and optional. (1 minute)
- 3
Step 3: Invite each person to briefly share 'where they are at' as they enter the meeting, including energy levels, recent activities, or pressing thoughts. Offer the option to pass. (5-7 minutes)
- 4
Step 4: Thank participants for sharing and encourage them to set aside external thoughts for the meeting's duration. (1 minute)
- Emphasize brevity and avoid allowing check-ins to turn into lengthy discussions.
- Model vulnerability by sharing your own check-in first.
- Use a scale (e.g., 1-5) to rate energy levels.
- Ask participants to share one word describing their current state.