Check In

What is a check in?

A brief sharing of things going on in your life that might affect how you interact with others today.

Check In Guidelines

1. Accept each speaker's words as a gift. (Don't interrupt, question, analyze, or respond. Just listen.)
2. Be concise. (Usually, each speaker will complete his or her thoughts in less than a minute)
3. If the leader suggests that everyone check in before starting the agenda items,
   then "Pass" is a valid check-in. (Everyone has the right to reticence. )

Purposes of Check In

1. To focus on people before focusing on the agenda.
2. To provide a transition from "the world out there" to the meeting.
3. To provide an opportunity to explain why you might not be fully focused and "present" (e.g. not feeling well, worried about a family member, frustration…)
4. To help members become better acquainted with each other, and to learn how to work together better.

Check Out

Meetings can also end with a Check Out — which can also be structured in different ways:

1. As an opportunity for group members to express how they are feeling "now" (after competing the meeting)
2. As a means to evaluate the meeting (using any evaluation process suggested by the leader or facilitator)

The same guidelines apply to both Check In and Check Out.

---

---