Meet better
Meeting check ins that don’t suck
For a meeting to work, there has to be a transition point. If you can’t park whatever mess your brain is working on, everyone else suffers.
So at the start of a meeting, encourage people to switch in to the people and subject. Ask a simple non-threatening, non-lame question: “What has your attention at the moment?” or “What did you last recommend to someone” and each person answers one at a time. The idea is that everyone can take 10-20s to answer. If you’re virtual, you can also use the ‘chatterfall’ technique.
What’s a talent you have that you don’t use at work?
What did the eight year old you want to be when you grew up?
What’s the background on your laptop or phone?
Ocean, desert, mountains or forest?
What’s a company or brand with newsletter or update actually look forward to?
What do you like and dislike about your name?
Game of Thrones, Stranger Things, Star Wars or Get Me Away From Fantasy series?
A favourite charity that you wish more people know about?
When’s the last time you felt fully rested?
What were you really into as a kid?
If you listen to music while working, what’s the playlist?
(Thanks to the digital workplace for some of these)
