Starting meetings with Meeting Checkins is a great way to get everyone “in the room” quickly. It can also be helpful to end meetings with a similar Checkout. The best format for this will depend on the meeting and group, but the goal should usually be one of the following:
- Reflecting on the meeting.
- Lifting the mood so people leave feeling positive.
- Lightening the mood after a heavy or stressful meeting.
- Grounding the group back into the real world after a long virtual meeting.
As with Checkins, checkouts should usually be very quick and include everyone in the room. The best format for this involves the facilitator posing a question and each person giving their answer in turn.
Reflection 💭
If reflection is an important part of the meeting, it should not be used as a checkout – do a proper reflection exercise and follow it with some other quick checkout.
For meetings where you wouldn’t normally end with a reflection exercise, you can use a quick as a checkout. You’re unlikely to get deep reflections here, but if you do this with a lot of meetings it’s a useful way of normalising and habitualising reflective practice. Example questions…
- One thing that surprised you during this meeting.
- One thing you learned during this meeting.
- Your one most valuable soundbite or idea you heard in this meeting.
- The most insightful comment in this meeting.
Lifting the mood ❤️
If the participants seem low – perhaps because the meeting dealt with some difficult subjects – choose a checkout which highlights positive stuff unconnected with the meeting. Gratitude and Appreciation exercises work well for this.
- One thing you were unexpectedly grateful for within the last week.
- Something small which brought you joy within the last 24 hours.
- A personal achievement you're proud of this month.
- Someone (not in this meeting) you appreciate right now, and one sentence saying why.
- The most beautiful thing you’ve seen in the last week.
Lightening the mood 🤣
After a long, difficult or stressful meeting it can be a good idea to lighten the mood with a more comedic checkout. Done well, these mean people get to have a quick laugh together before leaving. Examples…
- A funny incident that happened to you recently.
- An interesting fact you learned this week.
- What’s your superhero power pose?
- A favourite book, TV show or movie you've enjoyed recently.
- The last time your pet/kid/partner/friend did something hilariously silly.
Grounding the group in the real world 🧘♂️
These can be harder to pull off, but can be useful after long virtual meetings where you want folks go get out of their laptops and into their real world when they leave. These are best delivered as a practical exercise, rather than a question – almost like a mini guided meditaion.
- Look around your room and find something green. Go pick it up or touch it. [Repeat for 2-3 more colours].
- Stand up, close your eyes and feel the wright pressing down on your feet. Let your attention travel up… knees… calves… stomach… chest… shoulders… head. (Think basic Headspace exercises)
