Check In Rounds
A check in round is a valuable way of starting a team meeting and encouraging participation, it allows for everyone to take their seat at the table (even the virtual table*) and get their voice in the room. It promotes connection, inclusivity and empathy.
It’s tempting just to jump into work topics but a personal check in allows for deeper personal connection and recognises and respects equality. Research shows that teams who prioritise relationship before task have higher and more sustained performance. They perform well and stay well.
How to Start a Check In Round
1. Setting up the check in
- Set a time for each person to speak (e.g. 2 mins each).
- Request that everyone give the speaker their undivided attention.
- Agree that there is no conversation during or after each person has spoken.
- You will each have a turn.
- Each person shares what they want to share and there is no need to fill all the time.
- Once they are finished you move to the next person around the table.
2. Pose a question
For example: How was your summer? What’s been most successful/challenging for you this week? What are you excited about? Or, quite simply, how are you?
3. Ask who wants to go first
Allow the person to respond to the question, keeping to the time agreed, then move on to the next person around the table.
*Setting Up the Virtual Table
You can allocate everyone a position on a virtual table either by having a PowerPoint with a round table and everyone’s names around it.
Or by asking everyone to draw a circle and you calling out a position for everyone around it, i.e. take Clockwise from the top starting with Jo then Sam then Richard then Anand then Louisa etc.
Check In Using Picture Cards: A Picture Paints a Thousand Words
It’s often easier to express thoughts and feelings using an image or metaphor rather than words.
To facilitate your check in:
- Lay out picture cards on the table or display images on the screen.
- Ask each person to choose a card/image that represents a response to the question.
- Invite each team member to talk about why they have chosen that card/image in the check in round.
Try Out Our Team Coaching Picture Cards
We’ve created a deck of 50 Team Coaching Picture Cards, each providing a picture and a team coaching question to encourage reflection and participation. They can be used in many ways including:
- Checking in
- Taking stock
- Creating a vision
- Surfacing new insight
- Human connection
Available for £25 incl. postage & packaging.
Based on Nancy Kline Time to Think methodology. Further information can be found at www.timetothink.com
