“For our check-in, I invite you to answer this question with a single sentence: ‘How do I feel about our objective?'”

The first time I encountered the practice of the check-in was about twenty years ago, during seminars rooted in the US-UK tradition. At the time, it seemed unusual to me: in most seminars, participants were expected to share expectations and anticipated outcomes at the start, not their emotional state. Yet I quickly realized how valuable this moment can be for launching group meetings, for many reasons that we will explore below, but only when certain basic conditions are met. Otherwise, it can produce effects precisely opposite to those intended.

What Is a Check-in?

A check-in is a simple yet powerful practice for opening a meeting, creating space for dialogue about how we are entering the meeting, from a whole-self perspective: not just thoughts and expectations, but concerns, apprehension, and desires too. It allows participants to share their feelings succinctly and to listen to the emotions of others. Typically, it involves a question explored through various methods—using images or metaphors, tools such as the Plutchik Wheel to help name emotions, or even a simple traffic-light system as in Agile practices, which facilitates deeper emotional connection. The tools vary; what matters is creating connection and opening dialogue with the rest of the group.

An early form of this practice existed as far back as the 1940s with the first T-groups and the focus on the here and now. However, it was with the spread of collective intelligence tools in the 1990s that the check-in became widely adopted.

The Purposes of a Check-in

A check-in serves several key functions:

1. Foster mutual listening, recognizing and welcoming what each participant brings to the meeting, opening channels of empathy among group members.
2. Mark a boundary, signaling that the meeting has begun and the group’s attention is now directed toward its intended objective.
3. Support leadership awareness, helping those leading the group to consider the emotional dimension, not just the rational, goal-oriented aspect.
4. Encourage self-listening, giving each member a moment to connect with their own emotional state, thoughts, and moods.
5. Invite the whole Self into the meeting, thus opening access to a wider range of possible combinations and outcomes

By slowing the group down and promoting attunement, the check-in allows participants to start together rather than in a fragmented or scattered way. It is regenerative for both the individuals and for the group-as-a-whole, a collective breath before beginning.

From a psychological safety perspective, it symbolically communicates that people matter not only for what they produce but also for how and who they are. Each participant is invited to show up authentically, including vulnerability (e.g., “I’m worried about this goal,” “I feel incapable,” “I doubt my own capacities” or “I feel joy when I think about what we’re doing”). Over time, this builds trust and normalizes the idea that emotions and vulnerability can be shared without fear of judgment.

A check-in also serves as a preventive measure for assessing the mental health of the group and its members. It allows signals of stress, fatigue, or social isolation to surface. If someone shares that they are tired or worried, the team can respond, adjusting expectations and pacing. This reduces the risk that individual difficulties turn into silent crises.

In short, a check-in is a tool for both collective care and performance. A small gesture, consistently practiced, becomes a significant investment in the vitality and well-being of both individuals and groups.

Conditions for Effective Check-ins

At the core, the practice requires clear intention: an authentic desire to share and listen, a willingness to fully receive, even what may be uncomfortable. The check-in must never be used manipulatively.

Over the years, I have observed at least two common pitfalls:

1. Check-in as routine. When it becomes habitual, it turns purely formal: the same speaking order, the same phrases, the same patterns. The group goes through the motions simply because “that’s how it’s done,” not because it recognizes the importance of connecting in the present. Words flow, gestures repeat, but the heart of the group remains elsewhere. In online meetings, I have noticed facilitators initiating check-ins without genuine intention, sending the meta-message: “Since we have to do this, let’s get it over with.” This produces automatic responses (“All good, thanks”), awkward silences, obligatory turns, and no link between the check-in and the meeting’s objectives—leaving participants in a grey area between frustration and amusement. A practice intended to build trust and inclusion can thus backfire.
2. Check-in as defense against the task. In particularly conflictual groups where the conflict was never addressed, meetings could be spent endlessly “doing check-ins.” While ostensibly aimed at reconnection, these sessions often leave no time for substantive work, with decisions made unilaterally outside the group’s participatory space. Check-ins become long monologues with no real connection to the group or its objectives. The group follows the “speak to the center, don’t respond to another’s check-in” rule, but this too can be used to avoid expressing conflict. In Bionian terms, the group remains in a basic assumption state (BA Fight/Flight for example), using the check-in to manage anxiety and appear safe, while in reality suppressing exploration of differences under a veneer of benevolence.

Regenerating the Check-in

Effective check-ins require strong listening skills, connection, and openness to both personal and group needs. Practical suggestions for regenerating the practice include:

1. Set a clear intention. Prepare questions carefully and adapt them to the context; focus on intention first, then adapt the method.
2. Set time boundaries for each participant, so that check-ins don’t collude in avoiding the task
3. Vary the format. Avoid repetitive routines by changing modalities.
4. Reflect on the process. If a check-in becomes too long, pause and ask: “How is this moment serving us? Is it helping our work?”
5. Bridge to the task. Ensure the check-in leads directly into the group’s work, rather than remaining isolated.

With thoughtful practice, the check-in becomes a powerful tool to foster connection, presence, and collective effectiveness, truly a moment that sets the stage for meaningful collaboration.