88 Grateful Ways to Open and Close a Meeting

(So people feel open and close!)

Meeting Openers

1. What are you most grateful for from the past 24 hours? (at work or home)
2. What are you most grateful for from the past week? (at work or home)
3. What are you proudest of from recent months here at work?
4. What strengths do you see in this group? What do you appreciate most about our team?
5. What is most important to you in a work environment?
6. What is one of your happiest memories from work? (this or any job)
7. What is one of your dreams for this group/team?
8. What is one compliment at work you’ll never forget?
9. What is one compliment at work you gave recently? (If you can’t think of one, feel free to give one right now.)
10. What is a simple low-budget suggestion you’d love to make to our CEO?
11. What do you appreciate most about management at our company?
12. What is one of your greatest gifts to this team?
13. What is one positive quality to describe the person to your left/right. (email info@8togreat.com for a copy of the RAVE sheet if you don’t have it.)
14. Do #14 to the person across from you
15. What is one thing about your department that you’re proud of these days?
16. What was the greatest risk you have taken in the past week – professional or personal?
17. What is a risk at work you’d like to take but haven’t yet?
18. What do you appreciate most about the physical plant/workspace of this job?
19. What is the greatest benefit of being employed here, in your opinion?
20. What is one characteristic in a co-worker you would like to have more of?
21. What is your favorite (clean) joke OR describe the last time you laughed really hard.
22. Tell a story about your name…
23. What do you love to do in your free time?
24. What is your favorite piece of gear/clothing?
25. What is one thing people could or do ask your advice on?
26. What is one positive attribute or skill most people don’t know you have?
27. What is one of the greatest joys in your life these days?
28. Share one of your favorite memories. (from any time in your life)
29. What would you like people to remember about you ?
30. Take a deep breath, let it out, and share the first positive thought that comes to mind.
31. Who is the most positive person you know at work or outside of work? Describe them. .  
32. What have you done in the past 24 hours that you feel good about?
33. What are you most looking forward to doing this week or this month?
34. What have you learned recently that might be helpful for the rest of the team to hear?
35. What do you like best about our meetings?
36. What is a question you would like an answer to? 
37. What is most important for you in getting along with other people?
38. What is one goal you’d like us to accomplish in this meeting?
39. What is one thing you appreciate about technology these days?
40. Who has helped you out recently at work?
41. What is something that would make your job easier and more enjoyable?
42. What is an example of our successful teamwork? Why was it successful?
43. Throw a beach ball (or eraser) in the air and whoever touches it gets to share something they’re grateful for. 
44. What is the legacy you want to leave behind or that you want our team to leave behind?
45. What is a compliment from a customer/client that has made you proud?
46. What are some recent team successes that you feel good about?
47. What is something that people do that lets you know you’re appreciated?
48. What are your two favorite love languages: (How you like to be appreciated)?
    – words
    – acts of service/kindness
    – gifts
    – quality time
    – touch
49.  What is one way we could be better supports/cheerleaders for each other?
50. What is your dream job?
51. If you could “be” anyone for a day, who would you like to be?
52. What is your favorite saying or quote and why?
53. What is one thing you’re grateful about your family, friends or pets?
54. What is one thing you’re grateful for about your health?
55. Pre-meeting: Hand out a thank you card to each team member. Invite them to write a thank you note to someone at work or in the community. Put on quiet music while they write. Share any thoughts or feelings afterwards.  
56. Pretend you’re Hallmark and you’re going to create a new holiday to celebrate someone here at work. What/Who would you celebrate?
57. List 3 Things you are absolutely certain of, positive of, at this time…
58. Go back and reminisce about one of your favorite days ever at work.
59. Number off to get a partner, and then ask the 3 questions:
    – What is something I don’t know about you?
    – What is something we agree on?
    – What is something you like about me? 
60. If we were going to give a BIG DREAMER award at this workplace, who would you nominate and why?
61. If we were going to give a best RISK-taker award at this workplace, who would you nominate and why? (Remember RISK is Run To, Not From)
62. If we were going to give a FULL RESPONSIBILITY award at this workplace, who would you nominate and why?
63. If we were going to give an HONEST COMMUNICATION award at this workplace, who would you nominate and why?
64. If we were going to give a Never BC’s (Blames and Complains) award at this workplace, who would you nominate and why?
65. If we were going to give an FGH award at this workplace, (Forgiveness of the past, Gratitude for the present, Hope for the future) who would you nominate and why?
66. Share an act of Kindness you have done, witnessed, read about,or benefited from.
67. Who here really lets you know they respect you? How?
68. Who was one of your favorite ever customers?
69. What’s the best customer service you’ve ever experienced? 
70. If you had a day at work where you could work on anything, what would you do? (must be work related…)
71. Who is the easiest to talk to/best listener in this office/your life? Why?
72. What is your favorite thing to do on a power-outage day?
73. What is one silly thing about you that many of us don’t know? 
74. Whose work area is the most attractive/appealing/fun in your opinion?
75. If you were going to describe work in 3 or fewer positive words, what would you say? 
76. What is one of your favorite foods?
77. What is one of your favorite pieces of clothing (wear it tomorrow!)
78. Who is a teenager or young adult that you care about? (Have a “Bring a teen to work day…”)
79. What is your favorite inspirational TED or YouTube video? (Then watch it!)
80. What is your favorite Meeting Opener? (and then open the meeting that way!)  

Meeting Closers:

1. Have we accomplished our goal for this meeting? If not, what can we do to reach that goal in these remaining minutes or how can we do better next time?
2. What strengths and/or opportunities showed themselves today? 
3. Who would like to offer an insight, idea or a question we haven’t heard yet?
4. How are you feeling after this time together? 
5. What will you take away and use from our meeting today?
6. What was different about this meeting? If nothing, what are some ideas that you would like us to consider incorporating into our future meetings?  
7. Whose sharing or question was especially helpful for you today?
8. What are you most grateful for from today’s meeting?

For more on creating a positive culture or becoming trained as an 8 to Great® Life Coach, email us at info@8togreat.com or reach out to us at the number below.