Everyone is here, right? Let’s get started; the first thing today is…
STOP ✋
Instead of launching into the first item on the agenda, ask your team, “What’s on your mind?”
The Curse of Knowledge
The problem is we assume everyone is ready to start and focus. Our preparation for the session means we have a high familiarity when others might not. This cognitive bias is the curse of knowledge.
Design The Transition
The reality is we are bouncing from one meeting or workshop to another, with little processing time in between.
Create a short period of transition at the start of your meeting to pause and process. Ask, “What’s on your mind?” and talk about the issues raised.
Talk About The Talking
In this deliberate transition, you can frame the session and what to expect. I often say we can talk about the talking — meta-talking.
Refer to the type of thinking, dialogue and work that will be needed. I prefer to use this transition time to highlight the disposition or mindset that the meeting requires. Not just list agenda content.
Build Understanding
A key benefit I witness from hundreds of meetings and workshops I have designed is increased empathy.
When we share answers to “What’s on your mind?” we create a better understanding of our disposition. As the meeting or workshop continues, we are more likely to be empathetic to a colleague.
“What’s on your mind?” increases empathy, which is an excellent place for any meeting to start.