Check In · Reflect & Reset
Win + Weight
Share one deliberately small win and, optionally, one thing you are carrying.
Time4–5 minutes
Group size2+ people
FormatWhole group, Table groups
MaterialsNone, Optional projected prompt
What this accomplishes
A two-part round that makes room for a tiny success and a current burden without turning either into a performance.
- Give the facilitator a quick read of the room
- Let participants enter the agenda without a long round of updates
Before you begin
Materials
- None
- Optional projected prompt
Preparation
- Display the prompt
- Decide whether responses will be silent, written, or spoken
- Plan to answer first and model an honest pass early in the year
What to say
“One small win—big wins are banned—and, only if you want, one thing you are carrying into the room. You may share either part, both, or pass.”
How to run it
- 1
Model one genuinely small win and skip or share the weight by choice.
- 2
Give each person no more than twenty seconds.
- 3
Receive answers without comparison, advice, or follow-up questions.
- 4
Stop at five minutes and follow up privately when appropriate.
Prompts to use
A very small win…
Something I am carrying, if I want to name it…
Adapt it to the room
Small group
Use one fast round. The facilitator answers first, and everyone may pass without explanation.
Large group
Run it simultaneously at tables or collect a silent room-wide signal; do not hear every response from the microphone.
Virtual
Use chat, a shared board, or a tightly timed verbal round. Private messages and passing remain available.
Accessibility & inclusion
- Display and read the prompt aloud.
- Allow speaking, writing, pointing, chat, or passing with equal status.
- Never require eye contact, an explanation, or a public follow-up.
Why it works—and what can go wrong
Why it works
A bounded positive detail prevents forced celebration, while the optional second half acknowledges the reality participants bring with them.
Watch out for
- Keep the weight explicitly optional every time; do not praise more disclosure.
- Follow up privately after the meeting; the check-in identifies where support may be needed but is not the support itself.
- Do not reward upbeat answers or treat a difficult answer as a public discussion prompt.