What Are You Bringing to the Meeting?

Choose this exercise

Purpose: Acknowledge individual energy levels and preoccupations at the start of a session so the group knows where colleagues stand.

Use it when: Use at the start of an internal team meeting, training, or workshop when people arrive from back-to-back commitments or stressful tasks.

Skip it when: Skip during high-stakes evaluations, rapid standups with strict two-minute limits, or meetings with unfamiliar external clients who require immediate business focus.

Group arrangement: Whole group in a single circle or ordered speaking queue

Timing: Matches the 5 to 10 minute range from SessionLab and Teampedia records.

Materials and tools

• No special physical materials required
• Optional digital chat or meeting notepad for virtual participants

Before participants arrive

1. Arrange chairs in a circle or establish a clear seating sequence so everyone has line of sight.
2. Ensure no presenter slides or other materials compete for attention during check-in.

Say this to open

Before we begin our agenda, we will do a brief arrival check-in. Take thirty seconds to notice how your energy is right now and what thoughts you are carrying into this room. In a moment, each person will have a chance to share one or two brief sentences about where they are at, or simply say 'pass.' We are not looking for confidential details or solutions today, just a snapshot of your starting point.

How to run it

1. Introduce purpose and pause for self-check 2 minutes

   Speak the opening script. Give the group 30 seconds of quiet reflection to consider their current energy and any external distractions. Display or state the three guiding reflection prompts: energy level, what you were just doing, and any lingering distraction.

2. Conduct individual sharing round 6 minutes

   Go around the circle in sequence. Each person speaks for no more than 20 to 30 seconds, sharing their current state or saying 'pass.' Set a strict rule of no cross-talk, advice, or debate. For example, a person might say: 'My energy is low after a rough commute, but I am ready to focus.' If the group has 15 to 20 people, keep turns strictly under 20 seconds.

3. Acknowledge and transition to agenda 2 minutes

   Thank the group for their honesty. State explicitly that people may hold different energy levels today and that support is available outside the meeting if needed. Invite everyone to take a breath, set aside those external concerns as far as possible, and open the official meeting agenda.

Debrief questions

• Did hearing where others are starting change how you might interact during this meeting?
• Would running this check-in at future meetings be useful for our team rhythm?

Finished output: A completed round of spoken check-in statements or passes from all attendees, establishing shared context for the session.

Remote

Post the speaking order in the meeting chat window. Ask attendees to unmute in that order and share their check-in in under 20 seconds. Participants who prefer not to speak may type their check-in into the chat or type 'pass.'

Hybrid

Establish a single blended speaking sequence alternating between in-person attendees and remote screens. Display remote participants on a central screen so in-person attendees can see them. Ensure the room microphone captures soft-spoken check-ins clearly.

Access and participation choices

• Passing is completely permitted without needing to give an explanation.
• Participants can choose to describe purely operational context (e.g., 'finished a long report') rather than personal feelings.
• Spoken or typed chat formats are equally valid options.

If the session gets stuck

A participant begins detailing a complex personal crisis or project problem at length.

Gently intervene: 'Thank you for flagging that. It sounds like a lot to carry today. Let us hold the details for a follow-up conversation so we can hear from everyone in the circle.'

Colleagues start offering unsolicited advice or asking follow-up questions during someone's turn.

Remind the room immediately: 'We are simply listening without commentary or problem-solving during our opening round.'

Terms used here

• Cross-talk: Conversations, comments, or advice directed across participants while someone is sharing.