Meeting Check-In Questions
With everyone jumping from online meeting to online meeting - people often arrive at your meetings frazzled, distracted and exhausted.
Inspired by Brave New Work and the podcast of the same name from The Ready - we have started using Check-In’s at the start of some meetings to give everyone time to settle into the meeting and get ready to engage.
You might want to try it.
This is performed as a lightning round - whipping around the attendees with the question, generating some laughs and quick answers with the intention of getting some energy going.
Here, for reference, are some good check in questions that we have shamelessly stolen from various corners of the internet, and from the Brave New Work podcast that may be useful when you are starting a meeting up.
What has your attention right now?
Tell us about the last time you were really excited about something?
What’s the best piece of media you’ve consumed in the past week?
What is weird about your face?
What makes you smile?
What needs to be in place for you to feel its going well?
What is something you love about your team?
How would you describe your relationship with money?
What was your most awesome birthday?
What was your most awesome holiday?
What's one animal you always had to see when you went to the zoo?
What is something that you splurged on that made you super happy?
If you could instantly become an expert in anything, what would it be?
What is an adult "rule" that you think is completely stupid (e.g. the thank you note)?
What is one way that your work self is different from how you are at home?
What is the best reward anyone can give you?
What is a difficult trade-off that you have made, and did it pan out for you?
What is a fashion trend that you are very glad went away?
What is your favourite thing about fall/summer/winter/spring?
When is there something that you learned about yourself that surprised you?
Who was someone who was really important to you growing up?
If you had to be trapped in a TV show for a month, which one would it be and why?
What kind of plant or animal would describe how you feel today?
What’s one new and interesting thing you’ve been thinking about lately?
What’s one thing that brings you energy and joy?
What kind of a day have you had so far today?
What is your personal weather status (cloudy, foggy, sunny breaks etc)?
Why did you accept the invitation to join this gathering?
What’s become apparent since we last met?
What words would you use to describe where your head is? And where your heart is?
What are you noticing in your environment that relates to this project?
How has the last gathering impacted you and your work?
What makes you tremble as you look ahead at the event? What worries or fears are bubbling up in you?
If you could invite someone you respect to sit beside you and support you in making this meeting successful, whom would that be?
What’s one thing you hope to get accomplished at today’s meeting?
What is one interest of yours that others in this group might not know about?
Given our work so far, what do you feel best about?
Share a one or two-word intention you hold for today’s meeting/conversation.
What is something you came across recently that gave you hope or inspiration?
When was the last time that you felt completely out of your depth?
What advice would you offer your younger self?
What is one career tip you would share with your younger self
What is one of your favourite life hacks
What is a food that everyone seems to love but you dislike?
What is one strange thing about your hometown.
Describe something that turned out better than you expected.
What is your favourite ever book?
What is your favourite TV series?
What is your favourite movie?
What is your favourite smell?
What is the best gift ever you ever received?
You have a time machine. When (and where) would you like to visit first?
What advice would you give your 16-year-old self?
If you could magically get the skills necessary, what job would you love to do for the rest of your life?
What’s one thing that you learned since we last met?
What’s the most beautiful place you’ve ever been?
What are you really into right now?
Is there a thing that you did during the pandemic that you want to keep doing?
What do you love about where you live?
If you were in the circus, what would you do?
If you could get tickets to one event, past, present or future what would it be?
Name one thing you couldn’t go a week without?
What was your first job?
What’s your favourite candy/chocolate bar?
What is one thing you wish our team could work on more?
What’s the best bird?
What are you recommending to be people?
What would we find out about you from looking through your trash?
What’s a weird thing that’s happened to you recently?
What’s your favourite emoji?
What’s your favourite season?
What everyday thing do you just love to eat or drink?
What’s some of your favourite things at the moment (🍍Fanta, ftw!)
What is your worst injury?
What was your silliest injury?
What would be your walk up song?