Authentic Connection: Closing Questions

Inflexion June 23, 2023

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Without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences, and failing to achieve anything useful.

– Margaret J. Wheatley

INTRO

One of the best ways to create small, powerful moments of human connections at work is to ask questions at the beginning of a meeting or to close a meeting.

OBJECTIVES

Provide opportunities for people to reflect on their experience and how it impacts them and their future work/selves

Cultivate a culture that actively embraces and supports reflection, evaluation, and collaborative growth

RESOURCES

ARTICLE: 52 Questions to End Your Meeting/Week With

One of the best ways to create small, powerful moments of human connections at work is to ask questions at the beginning of a meeting or to close a meeting.

We’re including 18 example questions here. Please see the original article for the complete list of 52 questions you can ask at the end of a meeting or use in moments of a review or as debrief questions to close the week together as a team.

The goal of doing a closing, review, and debrief is to listen to each other, hear about each other individual experiences, learn, and build trust.

Meeting-Specific Questions

What’s a learning you take with you from this meeting?
What’s a new idea or thought from this meeting that you would like to continue thinking about?
How would you have made this meeting better?

Team-Related Questions

When did you feel appreciated this week?
When did you feel most connected to your team/colleagues this week?
Was there a moment where you felt left behind? If yes, when and why?

Work-Related Questions

What has been something surprisingly challenging?
What has been a work highlight of this week/day/session for you?
What would you do differently if you could start again (this day, this week)?

Growth-Related Questions

What thoughts, beliefs, or stories am I holding onto that no longer serve me?
Is there something you learned about yourself, and you feel willing to share?
What happened this week/today that you want to do again?

Emotional, Mindfulness Questions

Why do you want to remember this week/day?
What is something you are taking away from this meeting/week and want to reflect on more?
When did you feel in flow and at your best?

Creative & Inspirational Questions

If this week/day/project/meeting would be a song, which one would it be, or what would you call it?
If you had to describe this week/day/meeting in 3 words, what would they be?
When did you feel on top of the world this week?

Categories: Closing Activities

Tags: 21st Century Leadership, Closer, Closing Activity, Effective Leadership, Inclusive Leadership, Inclusive Practices, Mindfulness, Reflection, School Leaders

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INTRO

OBJECTIVES

RESOURCES

Meeting-Specific Questions

Team-Related Questions

Work-Related Questions

Growth-Related Questions

Emotional, Mindfulness Questions

Creative & Inspirational Questions

Related Articles

Responses