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Swipe file, phrases to open and close your meeting
You know you have to open first before you decide. And then you sit there, everyone looks at you, and the first sentence you say is your own solution anyway. That happens to experienced facilitators too, you know. Under pressure, your brain reaches for what it already knows. So it helps to have a few phrases ready for every moment of your meeting.
This swipe file gives you those phrases. They follow Sam Kaner's diamond of participation from the article: opening, exploring, narrowing down and closing. You can read through them in five minutes before your next meeting. And you just choose a few that suit you.
How to use this
It is a bit ironic: a cheat sheet to sound more spontaneous. Yet that is how it works. Anyone who does not have to search for the right question has their attention free for the people in the room. Feel free to adjust the words until they sound like you. I would put them on a card next to your laptop. You fill in what is in brackets yourself.
You get the phrases to open right here.
To open
- 'Before we begin, I would love to hear from everyone in one sentence what you expect from this hour.'
- 'Give a number from one to ten for your energy right now. No one has to explain it.'
- 'We have time until [time]. We will use the first part to explore, and we will only decide at the end.'
That last sentence seems small, but it takes the pressure off. Anyone who knows that nothing is being decided yet, dares to say more. Below you will find the phrases for the rest of your meeting: to explore, to work with resistance, to narrow down and to close. This also includes a prompt that turns your notes into a clear overview. Register for free and you will have them immediately.
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