3. Ask lots of open-ended questions
The question “How are you feeling?” is more powerful than “Are you feeling cold?”
Open-ended questions are more likely to provide greater insight and opportunities for people to participate in a two-way conversation. Asking a question that leads you to having a productive and meaningful conversation is successful as it leaves the other person to interpret and respond to the question in a way that they feel is necessary.
4. Use a variety of formats to keep your group engaged
Debriefing is more than just asking your group to circle up and asking a few questions.
The first step in learning is engaging the brain, so choose a variety of discussion techniques that are fun, interactive and meaningful to attract people’s attention. This can be a range of visual aids, group bonding activities and light hearted conversations if applicable.
5. Make it easy to see & hear each other
Consider using circles to conduct your conversation and moving in closer to hear each other. Also, be aware of the impact the wind and the sun may have on your group’s ability to see and hear you. For example, it is recommended that you face the sun, rather than your group, otherwise, it will give people just another excuse to look elsewhere. And keep their backs to the distraction of other people, interesting panoramas and other events that will easily distract them from your conversation.
6. Use a neutral response to comments
People develop many coping skills to make sure they don’t look stupid in front of their peers. For example, rather than joining into a discussion right away, some folks prefer to wait for others to make the initial responses.
So, if you telegraph your opinion of their responses with “Great,” “Good answer,” or “Exactly right,” you may encourage some people to delay their response, or not respond at all, because they’ll believe that the right answer has already been given.
Clearly, this is not a hard and fast rule, but if you’re looking to attract lots of input from your group, consider the impact your comments may have. Encouraging input from all team members during the debrief meeting is an essential part of achieving success. This approach not only makes everyone feel more comfortable and valued but also brings in different perspectives that can drive continuous improvement.
Ending your debrief meetings on a positive note and highlighting key takeaways is an effective way to conclude these sessions.
7. End your meeting on a positive note
People often don’t remember how a debrief meeting started, but they do remember how it ended. Whether it’s a comfortable atmosphere created during the meeting or positive affirmations for the team, ending on a positive note is crucial to encourage people to act on what was discussed.
Here are a few ways to end your debrief meetings:
- Discuss positive sales figures, feedback, website traffic data or customer satisfaction scores. Discuss positive talking points throughout the meeting, but save one for the final agenda item to ensure that everyone leaves feeling valued and upbeat.
- Circling back to the meeting agenda and the lessons learned throughout the debrief meeting
- Discussing future projects or events that will be discussed in future debrief meetings
- Opening the floor to the team to add any ideas, questions, concerns they may want to discuss
No matter how positively you end your debriefing meetings, it is essential that your team has a clear agenda outlining what they need to work on and the topics covered. Avoid overloading them with positive feedback to the point where they lose sight of the meeting’s purpose and their focus areas.
8. Use what works for you & change what doesn’t
Adapt everything you read here to match the age, needs and characteristics of your particular group, the weather, your environment, the time you have and (of course) your personality. Observing how your team members respond to feedback during debrief meetings and how it impacts team operations is essential for ensuring future success. Treat each debriefing meeting as a learning opportunity and adjust your approach to develop a plan that best suits your team.
