Have you ever tried starting a meeting with everyone saying how they’re feeling or what they’ve been pondering? This idea is a riff on the “Check-In” ritual from the Core Protocols, a set of practices for building great human teams. At the beginning of a meeting, each person takes a turn to speak their mind briefly - by answering a question or finishing a sentence - and ends with “I’m in.” Then everyone else says, “Welcome.” It’s a straightforward and effective way to begin a weekly team meeting.
I’ve been using “Check-Ins” for over a year in all sorts of team settings. I must admit, I’m always a bit anxious about how new people or teams will react. But, time and again, it’s been a hit. It makes meetings feel more personal and helps us all feel closer.
Here’s what makes “Check-Ins” so helpful:
Everyone Gets to Talk: It gives each person a moment to be heard right from the start. It promotes engagement and commitment by ensuring everyone’s voice is heard from the outset. For me the most important part is that it allows each team member to feel valued and understood.
It’s Efficient: It doesn’t take much time, and it sets a collaborative tone for the meeting.
Trust Grows: When people share even a little about their current state of mind, it can help build trust within the group. Check-ins help a new team to rapidly establish a sense of value, belonging, and connectedness. It builds a deeper relationship between the team leader and the team.
You don’t need to be super open or share your deepest feelings. You can share as much or as little as you like. It’s just about showing up, being present, and letting others know you’re ready to participate.
The Core Protocols, where “Check-Ins” come from, have lots of great ideas for making teams better. I’ve found “Check-Ins” to be a fantastic starting point, and I’m excited to explore and share more about the Core Protocols in future writings.
So if you’re looking for a small way to make your meetings better, why not try a “Check-Ins”? It might feel a bit odd the first time, but it can lead to a stronger, more connected team.
Here’s what i usually put on team meeting agendas
Check in:
Speaker says “[insert a question here…]” (or passes)
Speaker may provide a brief explanation but doesn’t have to.
Speaker says “I’m in.” - this signifies that Speaker intends to be ‘in’ and present in the meeting.
Listeners respond, “Welcome.”
And, here is my list of check-in questions to get you started:
“This week I would like to try…”
“One boring thing about me is…”
“One thing that brings me joy and energy is…?”
“I feel…?”
“I am thankful for…?”
“My hope for today is…?”
“I feel [one of more of MAD, GLAD, SAD, AFRAID]…?”
“What’s the one thing that could bring you energy and joy this week?”
“This week I would like to try…”
“This week will be successful if…”
“This week I have learned…”
“A challenge for me this week has been…”
“One thing that I wish I had more time for is…?”
“One thing that I’m proud of this week is…?”
“One thing that surprised me this week was…?”
“One thing that I’d recommend (a book, tv show, podcast, etc.) is…?”
“One small win from my past week was…?”
“If you were a superhero, what power would you wish to have this week?”
“One thing that I’ve been pondering about lately is…?”
“One thing I wish others knew about me is…?”
“One thing I’m looking forward to this week is…?”
“A hobby or activity I’ve been enjoying lately is…?”
“One word that encapsulates my goals for this week is…?”
“What’s one small thing that made you smile this week?”
“If your week had a color, what would it be and why?”
“What’s a book you’ve recently read or want to read?”
“What’s something new you’ve tried or would like to try soon?”
“What’s one goal you’ve set for yourself this month?”
“What’s a piece of advice you’ve received that you’d like to share with the team?”
“One thing that challenged me this week…?”
“One thing that I’m looking forward to is…?”
“One thing that I’ve recently discovered about myself is…?”
“One thing that has been a source of inspiration for me is…?”
“One thing that I want to accomplish by the end of this month is…?”
“One thing that I’d like feedback on is…?”
“One thing that I’ve been avoiding is…?”
“One thing on my bucket list is…?”
“One thing that I’m currently passionate about is…?”
Thanks for reading.