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The Pre-Meeting Checklist

Pre-Meeting

• Interview the Meeting Sponsor/Boss - if this is you, INTERVIEW yourself.

• Define the roles in the meeting: yours as facilitator, the participants’ as subject matter experts, the manager, the boss, etc...

• Define “CONTEXT” and how you recommend setting up the meeting:  You’ll be posting a Session Objective, Agenda, Agreements, Consensus, Parking Lot, U-Shape room set up

• How will decisions be made? (Recommend Consensus) 

• Important Questions to Ask: 

• “Imagine the session is over … you feel great about what happened. What happened in the meeting/project and what results were achieved that make you feel so good?”

• “What is the session objective” (or overall project objective) 

• “What has been going well?”

• “What would you change?”

• “What might be some of the most important topics we discuss at this meeting?”

• “What else would be useful for me to know to make sure the meeting doesn\'t waste time?”

• “Who would you like to see at the meeting?”

• “How do you typically document meetings? 

• Interview the Participants

• 1 st - Send an introductory “Welcome to the Team!” email explaining you would like to talk with them before the meeting to answer their questions and clarify their role. 

• Set up Interviews – (15 minutes is average time needed) Face-to-face is best. Phone call, 2 nd best.

• Ask them the same questions as above.

• Email 1: Ask all participants for feedback ( This may be combined with Email 2, if details are completed)

• When the session objective and agenda are confirmed, send them to the participants asking for their feedback and questions. Confirm they understand their role in the meeting.

• Email 2: Participant Logistics. Include:

• The start and end time of the meeting. 

• Location and directions for meeting.

• (Ask participants to arrive 10 minutes early to enjoy coffee/tea and snacks. Friendly Reminder: you will kick off PROMPTLY at the start time).

• The Agenda. 

• Any items to prepare before the meeting – read a document, etc.

• What to bring – data, a pen, sweater, food & H2O…

• Is Lunch provided? If no, a list of restaurants nearby. 

• Confirm Meeting Logistics

• Location of the meeting

• Who will set up the room?

• What time can we get in room to set up? 

• Can we tape posters/charts on walls? 

• What Audiovisuals are required?

• Who will bring the AV and set them up? What time? 

• Refreshments? Lunch? - How many? Who will set it up? When? 

• Who will kick off the meeting? - i.e. project sponsor, boss? 

• Who contacts kickoff person to let them know how much time they have for opening remarks? ( 5 – 7 minutes is ideal) 

• Who will record the minutes? 

• Who will transcribe the chart pages?

• Prepare your Facilitator Toolbox 

• See Facilitator Toolbox Check list in Free Resources.

• CREATE, MEMORIZE AND PRACTICE YOUR OPENING SCRIPT!