In this guide, you will learn how to start a meeting with a check-in. We recommend some icebreakers to warm up. And we discuss practical things, such as outlining the agenda.

📚 This guide is part of a series on how to facilitate meetings.

Introduction #

It can be tempting to plunge straight in to the content of your workshop or meeting from the very beginning of the session. After all, there often isn't enough time to 'cover' everything we want to. However, most people are able to participate more fully if you devote a bit of time to sharing information and creating a welcoming space. At a minimum, people need to know where the toilets and kitchen are! Most participants will also benefit from getting to know each other a little.

Giving time to building trust and relationships enables people to take more risks. 'Risk' in this context doesn't mean sky-diving or driving without a seatbelt! We are talking about the kinds of small risks which help a workshop or meeting be productive. If someone doesn't trust the rest of the group then all kinds of behaviour could feel too risky: contributing to discussion in the whole group, asking questions when they don't understand, expressing disagreements, exploring challenging issues or just having a go at a new skill.

Most people develop trust most effectively when the level of risk and exposure increases gradually throughout the session. It can be counter-productive to ask too much of people at the very beginning. This section covers trust and relationship exercises that are suitable for the start of a session and mostly involve the sharing of basic personal information. See Trust building exercises below for more challenging exercises and in depth guidance.

Make it as easy as possible for people to share relevant personal information when they introduce themself - and equally to not share it, if that's what they prefer! It is rarely helpful to put someone on the spot and push them to talk about themself - and especially not at the very start of a session. Think carefully about the words you choose and the examples you give, so people feel they have a choice about what to share.

Personal introductions #

30 seconds - 1 minute per person; 3 - 20 people

Each person gets a chance to introduce themselves in turn. Many people will be more relaxed if they know a bit more information about everyone else in the room. For example, you could ask each person to explain in one sentence why they've come to the meeting, or how they are feeling today. You can also add less 'functional' questions, such as 'What's your favourite vegetable?' or 'Share something good that happened to you in the last month.'

Pronoun rounds #

5 seconds per person; 2 - 30 people

Pronouns are words like 'he/his' and 'she/her' that we use to refer to people, instead of repeating their name lots of times. For example: "Elham said she's happy for us to use her car" is easier to say than "Elham said Elham is happy for us to use Elham's car."

The difficulty with pronouns is that they are often used without checking how someone actually wants to be called.For example, someone who is read by others as a 'she' may in fact use 'he', or gender neutral pronouns like 'they' (or a range of consciously created alternatives like ze and zir).

For this reason, many groups like to start meetings with a pronoun round where people get the option to tell everyone what pronouns they use, in the same way they tell people their name. Even if people forget and make mistakes, it is easier to correct them if the introduction happened at the start.

If you are introducing a pronoun round in a group that is new to it, make sure you explain what you are asking of people and why. If people don't understand what is going on, they may feel confused or make a joke of it, which is counter-productive when you want to create a culture of respect. Making it optional for people to share their pronoun may help people who feel put on the spot - for example because they are questioning their gender and don't feel ready to be public about that.

Accessibility #

Ask: What would make it easier for you to participate?

This involves creating space for people to share information that they need other participants to know in order for them to participate effectively. It can also be helpful in encouraging an atmosphere where people feel able to ask for what they need. Examples:

• “Please can people speak loud and clear.”

• “I'm keeping my phone on because my child isn't well, and I need to get back quickly if the baby-sitter calls.”

• “I've been having a rough time recently, if I leave the room it’s because I need a bit of space, don't feel you have to come and check up on me.”

The usual set up for this tool is to give each person in turn one chance to speak, often going in order round the room (see Go-rounds). It can help if you model as a facilitator by giving some examples, especially if they are true for you. Be clear that the objective is for people to share information or make requests if it is useful to them, and that it is fine for people to pass if their needs are being met, or they just prefer not to say anything. Explain why you are asking for the information to encourage people to take it seriously and create a respectful atmosphere.

You could also give people the option to talk to you privately. If you say this, make sure there is a break or small group exercise near the start of the session, so that people definitely have the opportunity for an inconspicuous chat.

Name labels #

Name labels which are attached to clothing are an easy way to help people get each other's names right. As people arrive offer sticky labels and pens for people to write up their own names.

You could ask people to add their pronoun (see Pronoun rounds above). If you are not sure whether everyone is familiar with the concept, it may be better to explain it first, before asking people to write their name label.

If you have the resources you can have name labels prepared and hand them out at the start. However, this requires good records of who will be attending - make sure to spell names correctly.

Pair introductions #

10 - 20 minutes; 10 - 30 people

This gives people the chance to have a more in depth introductory conversation with one other person, potentially with a shorter whole group introduction as a follow up.

Process #

1. Ask people to pair up with people they don't know or know less well.

2. In their pairs people take turns introducing themselves to each other. You could provide a set of questions to prompt people. Questions could include the reasons why the person is there and what they are hoping to learn or achieve during the event.

3. (Optional) Follow up with a round of shorter introductions in the whole group.

Things to be aware of #

Facilitators often invite people to introduce their partners in the whole group round (rather than introducing themselves). In our experience, this method can be quite 'exposing' for both people. The person introducing their partner may feel awkward about whether they have remembered right. People being introduced may prefer to choose what they say to the whole group, and be concerned about being misrepresented. If you want to follow the paired exercise with a whole group introduction, you could ask pairs to choose whether to introduce each other, or themselves.

Check-in #

30s - 5 minutes per person; 3 - 30 people

Ask: How are you?

In a check-in each person shares something about how they are. This could be very brief, for example one or two words about how they're feeling at that moment. Alternatively, it could be a chance for people to say more about what's going on in their lives. A more specific check in could be focused on people's feelings about the shared project they are working on together.

Check-ins are beneficial in a number of ways. They can help people get to know each other, especially if done regularly. Check-ins can also be a good way for people to voice their distractions and set them aside. For some people, focusing on their feelings can help them to be more aware of what they need in order to feel better (or in order to not 'take it out on' other people in the meeting!).

Hearing how people are can help others in the group take things less personally - for example, if someone is having a hard time, others might be ready to forgive them being impatient in a meeting.

Finally it can help the facilitator to read the mood of the room - for example, if lots of people are anxious about the same thing, then it could be brought forward on the agenda. A check-in at the start and end of a workshop or meeting can also help you gauge how the session has affected people.

Process #

Ask each person in turn to share their feelings, or distractions and events that are on their mind. For example: “I’m nervous and finding it hard to concentrate, because I've got a presentation to do this afternoon.” “My first grand-child was born last week.” If the group is large, you might be more structured, for example by asking people to share just three words about how they are feeling.

Ask everyone to give their full attention to the speaker. If there is time, the facilitator could prompt people with questions: “Is there anything the rest of us could do that would help?” “Is there anything else you want to want us to know about that?” The point is to support the speaker, not to probe them to disclose more than they feel comfortable saying!

Things to be aware of #

People will have very different comfort zones when it comes to talking about emotions! That means that this tool is likely to work very differently for different people in your group. It can still be worthwhile, even if not everyone benefits. However, if you are using it regularly, try asking for feedback on whether people find it helpful, and if you need to tweak your format.

Excitement sharing #

30 seconds - 2 minutes per person; 3 - 20 people

People share something personal and positive that has happened to them recently. Examples are: “I've harvested the first peas of the year”, “My friend from New Zealand came to visit,” “I've got a new job”. This can create a lot of positive energy for the meeting and put people more in touch with each other's lives.

You can use this instead of introductions when people already know each other. Make sure people keep it brief. Discourage comments or questions. Don't confuse excitement sharing with announcements. Be aware that not everyone may have something they feel excited about - make sure there is the option to pass.

Agenda #

An agenda is a list of items you expect to cover in a meeting. Some people also use this word for a list of the topics that will be covered in a workshop. Having a list printed out, or displayed on the wall helps people know what to expect from the session - and can keep people focused as you move through it.

Exactly how an agenda should be created and shared depends a lot on your situation.

In a meeting it is more democratic if everyone who is affected by the decisions can put items on the agenda. This can be done in advance, which helps to save limited face to face time, and allows people to think about the agenda items before the meeting starts. On the other hand, it's not always easy for people to engage before they turn up, and it may be more inclusive to draw up it up together at the beginning of the meeting.

In a workshop the trainer may have more information about the topic than the participants, and decide what to cover, then simply inform people. However, the training may be more relevant to people if they have a chance to say what topics they are interested in - whether in advance, or at the start.

Process #

1. Invite everyone to input agenda items. For example, they could send items to the facilitator online, together with background information so that people can start thinking about the topics. Or you could start a meeting by doing a shout out, or passing round a piece of paper. If it is an important meeting, and not everyone has had chance to think before arriving, you could give time for small group chat or individual reflection for people to think up their agenda items.

2. Create a running order, taking into account how much time you have! Allow enough time for important agenda items. It can be better to cover these near the beginning when people are 'fresh', rather than using up all your energy on minor items.

3. Prioritise. Are there some items that are clearly more urgent, and others you can save for a later date? Are there items that could be dealt with in smaller groups or online? Prioritising agenda items is often done by the facilitator, alternatively you could use a prioritisation exercise to gauge which topics people most want to address.

4. Circulate the agenda, if you have created one in advance. This will help people think about it before they turn up. Include any relevant background information.

5. Go through the agenda in order at the start of the session. If new topics come up, make a decision about whether to address them straight away (for example because they need to be resolved before coming onto the items that are already on the agenda). Otherwise leave them until the end or another meeting.

Parking space #

1 - 2 minutes to set up; any number of people

This makes sure all ideas and questions get recorded and participants don't feel like they've been ignored. Whenever anything comes up that's not relevant to the discussion at hand 'park' it in the parking space (a large sheet of paper on the wall). In other words write it up on the paper and deal with it later. This allows you to stay focussed but reassures participants they will be heard. Of course, if you want to avoid people feeling ignored, make sure you do deal with parked items! Allow time at the end of the workshop or meeting agenda to deal with the parking space.

People map #

5 - 10 minutes; 5 - 40 people

In this exercise people place themselves around the room to create a human 'map' of where they currently live.

It is often used as a way to put people in touch with others who live near them, so they can make links / stay in touch after the session.

Sometimes the different places people live will be a factor in group dynamics. For example, people in a major city can forget that some people travel in from outlying towns and villages. This tool can be a way of making those dynamics more visible, and potentially opening up discussion about them.

Process #

1. Indicate North, East, South & West, and allow participants to position themselves to create a map. They should talk to the people near them, and adjust where they are standing. For example, in the UK, someone from Newcastle or Carlisle might think they are from 'the north' - and then realise they are talking to someone from the Shetland Islands! And the person from the Shetlands may find they're next to someone visiting from Iceland!

2. Ask people furthest away where they are from. Continue with each cluster of people. People can also reposition themselves.

3. (Optional) A natural follow on is to create groups of people who live near each other, who then have smaller group discussions.

Variation #

A more personal variation would be ask people to decide where to stand based on the place they consider to be their home. Be aware that for many people 'home' will be several places, or no-where, making it hard to decide where to stand! In general, the question of 'where is your home' is likely to bring up very different levels of emotion for different people, so think carefully about whether this is helpful.

People bingo #

10 - 20 minutes; 5 - 40 people

A flexible icebreaker. Everyone has a list of questions, and needs to find answers from different people for each one. How many questions you ask depends on how involved the answers are, but ten would usually be a maximum.

Process #

1. Give the question list on paper. The question can be specific to the session e.g. “What brought you to this workshop?” or generic “How are you feeling today?”

2. Each person should only ask one question to one person then find somebody else to introduce themselves to and ask another question.

3. When the first person finds answers to all their questions they shout bingo and the game finishes.

Variations #

A common variation is to replace the open questions with a 'find somebody who' list. For example, the card could say 'find somebody who: has three children; is scared of snakes; missed breakfast this morning' etc. Participants then need to find a different name for each of the questions. This version of the game is faster-paced, but the conversations are repetitive! Also, it doesn't serve as well for people getting to know each other, because the information shared is very limited, and people don't get to choose what it is.

The objective of mixing people up and getting them talking could be achieved without a competitive edge by doing a mingle or carousel. Usually, bingo allows less time for each individual conversation, which has the advantage of mixing people up more in a shorter time, and the disadvantage that the conversations are less in depth.

Two truths and a lie #

10-15 minutes; 3-12 people

A get-to-know-you game that doesn't involve anyone moving from their seat. In a group larger than about 12, you could split people into smaller groups to play this game to ensure it doesn’t take too long.

1. Instruct each participant to think of three statements about themselves. Two must be true statements, and one must be false.

2. Each person shares the three statements (in any order) to the group. The goal is to guess which statement is false. After hearing the three statements, invite a few people to share their guesses about which is the lie. Alternatively, ask the person to read their three statements a second time, and everyone raises their hands on the one they think is a lie. The speaker then reveals the correct answer.

Attribution #

Work from the following sources was reused:

• Facilitation tools for meetings and workshops by Seeds for Change