Use This Question At the Start of your Next Meeting To Increase Empathy And Connection

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…