What’s the best way to start a meeting?

May your meetings be free from stress and you be brought home safely.

In the world of travel, a “check-in” refers to: “the action of registering one's presence, typically as a passenger at an airport.” For meeting facilitators, a check-in is when everyone in the room has a chance to speak for a few minutes about what's going on for them before a meeting starts.

Here is what it may look like:

I'm in a meeting with a group of senior managers. The company's work culture is serious and performance-driven, and it's clear that they don't goof around; they deliver! They are all looking at me impatiently, waiting for me to start my presentation on leadership. Their expectant looks make my mind spin faster than usual.

But instead of starting my presentation, I suggest a round of check-in. I mostly have skeptical looks from the group, but also a few faces suggesting they are up for giving me a chance.

I shortly but determinedly motivate the check-in practice and kick things off with a check-in prompt that I thought of before the meeting: "A thing that shaped me ..."

I give the group a few moments to think while I cash in on a few more skeptical faces. Then I ask, "Who will go first?" And after what feels like an eternity, one of the managers says, "Okay, I can start ..."

In the next ten minutes, anecdotes are shared, and expectant and skeptical looks are exchanged with curiosity, wonder, and laughter. 

When the round ends, I notice my mind has slowed; I feel calmer and more present. The group looks more relaxed; body language and postures are more open and inviting. I think it will be okay if I make a few mistakes.

I am fortunate to have been part of several work cultures that understand and value the practice of "check-ins & check-outs," at the same time, even after many years, I still feel a sense of awkwardness when suggesting a check-in with meeting participants who aren't used to the concept or may have experienced unfocused and overly long check-in rounds. Thanks to Professor Amy Edmondson, we now know that psychological safety is a crucial performance driver.

What is a check-in?

At the beginning of the meeting, every participant answers the same question briefly. The question can be as simple as: How are you feeling? Or: What is going on for you that people in the room might need to know?

Everyone speaks, and everyone listens to every person speaking (there is no commenting on each other.) 

A check-out is similar, except it takes place at the end of the meeting.

Why would you start your meetings with a check-in?

1. To get people present

Being present simply means you're focused and engaged in the here and now, not distracted or mentally absent. A check-in round lets us respond to something in the moment (this is why check-in questions aren't shared before a meeting); it allows us to check in with our emotions and mental state and bring our whole selves to the meeting.

2. To get to know each other better

When people feel they know you, they are more open to being influenced by you, to learn from you. People are more likely to accept your ideas, share information and create opportunities together. This connection can instantly appear when you "click" with someone or develop slowly over time. It can grow naturally, without intent, or you can deliberately set out to build it and re-kindle it with practices such as check-ins.

3. To have an equal share of voice

When we start a meeting by taking turns, it affects how much people speak during the rest of the meeting. In Google's massive project, Aristotle, they found that teams where members have an equal share of voice succeed in having a higher collective intelligence than teams where a few key personalities (however intelligent/competent) dominate and others are intimidated out of interacting fully.

4. To start things on time

(... so we don’t end up discussing the weather while waiting for the latecomers to show.) Check-ins tap into a basic human need to relate and build connections. People will find ways of establishing a connection anyway. But a check-in allows us to time-box the relation building, design it more intentionally than just discussing the weather, and ensure that everyone takes part through its clear structure.

5. Checking-out

Conducting a check-out after a meeting brings a sense of closure. It re-emphasizes the same positive effects as the check-in going forward.

How to formulate a check-in question?

• How much time do you have for the check-in? Think about how BIG your question is – does it invite a longer, heartfelt story from each person, or only a sentence or two?

• How can the check-in connect and support the rest of the agenda and the overall purpose of the meeting?

• What kind of tone do you want to create through the check-in? Playful? Serious? Connecting? Learning something new about each other?

Examples:

Short and sweet

• How are you feeling?

• What kind of day have you had so far?

• Share a one or two-word intention you hold for today's meeting.

Personal

• Something that shaped you as a person.

• What gets you out of bed in the morning?

• What is one interest of yours that others in this group might not know about?

Task-related

• What's one thing you hope to get accomplished at today's meeting?

• What are you noticing in your environment that relates to this project?

• What's become apparent since we last met?

Energetic

• What's one thing that brings you energy and joy?

• What is your personal weather status (cloudy, foggy, sunny breaks, etc.)?

• What is your favorite social media account right now?

Check-out

• What is one thing you take with you from this meeting?

• What do you appreciate about this meeting?

• What is the first thing you will do with your learnings in this meeting?