Check-in / Check-out
INTRODUCTION
Our gatherings are filled with a lot of different impressions and opportunities for learning. The influence these have on us depends on our current life situations and our context outside the gathering. Check-in and check-out processes are fundamental to the work we engage in and set the context for what we actually do. It’s a simple way for a team to open or close a process, symbolically and in a collaborative way. In gatherings, we also work closely with other individuals, and the quality of these connections is very important for overall development (Karp, 2010).
Check-in/out invites each member of a group to be present, seen, and heard.
Check-in represents the beginning of each day. It emphasizes presence, focus, and group commitment. The space we create as a group at the beginning of the gathering can have a huge impact on the quality of learning.
Check-out, on the other hand, emphasizes reflection and closure. Check-outs provide a chance to close off the day, practice sharing what is important for us at this moment, and connect the gathering to our day-to-day life.
So, shaping the questions in a thoughtful and purposeful manner increases the likelihood of them being powerful. So take some time and find the questions that work for you!
INTENTION
Meet each other as who we are right now and create compassion and understanding.
Improve your thought-clarity and awareness of our current state. What am I thinking and how can I communicate this to other people? What is important at this moment?
Anchor the learning we are going through and reflect on it. This leads to personal thoughts and the creation of mental nodes which makes it easier to remember.
Increase the transfer of learning from the context at the gathering to the context outside and the other way. How can you bring learning to your everyday life?
DESIRED OUTCOME
A safe and effective learning space where everyone can be present, seen and heard.
TIPS
When preparing for a check-in/out session you want to think about:
Time. How much time do you have and how much safe space do you need for this day? Does the question invite a 3-5 min story from each or a word or two? A question like “Say a few words on how you are arriving today – what do you need to say to be fully present today” is another option that could lead to a shorter session.
Agenda. Can it connect and support the rest of the agenda and purpose of the gathering? Can it act like a warm-up or a reflection of the learning of the day?
Tone. What kind of tone do you want to create? Playful? Serious? Connecting? Learning something new about each other? Inviting something fun once in a while can be a welcome break from serious reflection. Examples: “the animal that represents my mood today", "my superhero power pose", or something else.
How:
1
Check-in
When meeting face-to-face, sit in a circle or "U" shape.
(5min) Reflect on the following questions (as an example):
What is present in your mind at this moment?
How are you feeling?
What are the main processes/events/people affecting you at the moment?
Do you have expectations or intentions for the day?
2
Share with your group when everyone is ready. One-by-one participants check-in, either in order around the circle or at random. Once every person has checked-in one time, check-in is over.
3
Check-out
(5 min) Answer the following questions (as an example):
What is present in my mind at this moment?
How am I feeling?
What am I in the process of learning? What am I in the process of learning about myself? In what way is this relevant in my day-to-day life?
4
One-by-one participants check-out either in order around the circle or at random. Once every person has checked-out one time, check-out is complete.
| References
Karp, Tom. 2010. Ledelse i Sannhetens Øyeblikk.
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