Reflection: Team

Step 1

Create a welcoming, calm, and quiet space for the session to take place. You might want to start with a check-in to support the participants to feel present and focused.


If working face-to-face it's suggested to organized the team members into a circle, or "U" shape.

Step 2

If it is the first time the group does this exercise, introduce the purpose of the team reflection and offer some guidelines for an effective group experience.

Participants speak from their individual perspective, using “I-statements", I feel, I think, I noticed, I learned, etc.

Have the group members avoid sweeping generalizations like; "we", “everybody” and “some people”, and actively listening when others are speaking.

Methods, approaches, and behaviors could be introduced to support team reflection, for example: Active Listening, Being Present, Appreciation for diverse viewpoints, listening for understanding, Learning by Doing, Team is Everything.

Step 3

Decide on the context for this reflection session.

Introduce the following reflection questions. Capture them on a whiteboard, flipchart, or via a virtual method (ie: virtual whiteboard) so the questions are easily visible:

- What happened during the experience?
- How did I feel?
- How did I respond?
- What was the impact on myself and others?
- What insights or conclusions can I draw from the experience?
- What did I learn? (About myself? About others? About groups?)
- How can I apply what I learned to improve future experiences? What actions can I take based on what I learned?

Step 4

Ask the team members to reflect on the questions, individually and in silence, and capturing their responses for about 5-10 minutes.

Put some calm music on if appropriate.

Step 5

After the set time, organize the participants into small groups (3-5) and have them share their reflections with each other. if online use breakout rooms

15-20 min

All participants should share at the level they feel comfortable. Remind them about Professional, Personal, and Private levels. They only share at the level they feel comfortable.

Most people share at the professional level on a daily basis.

The personal level is a bit deeper, letting people have a glimpse at the personal elements like family or hobbies, sharing at the personal level helps to build trust between people.

And private is private - nobody has any obligation whatsoever to share from this level and should not be pushed.

Give 15-20 minutes for this step and remind participants to ensure that each person gets the chance to share.

This is an opportunity for the speakers to speak and for the listeners to listen for understanding.

Listeners only ask clarifying questions, not intrusive questions.

Step 6

Bring the full group back together. Invite team members to share their reflections one-by-one, either in a structured fashion or randomly.

Encourage them to connect with how they're feeling, and not only what they're thinking.

Step 7

When the time is up or it feels like the right time to end, close the session.

Thank the team members for their engagement and participation.

Optionally, conduct a short check-out. For example; "Is there anything anyone wants to say before we move on?" Make sure they have a short break before the next activity.