Five Ways to Effectively Close a Meeting
“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
― Maya Angelou
There are three critical moments of a meeting, workshop, or offsite you need to pay special attention to ensure it’s an excellent experience for your participants: the beginning, the peak, and the end. Miss the mark on these three moments, and you are at risk of building yourself a reputation for wasting people’s time.
The beginning moment
It’s super important to get a strong start to a meeting. You want to engage the participants quickly and let them know what to expect and what you expect from them. (Click here for more on how to start a meeting.)
The peak moment
Think about the last offsite you attended. What stood out to you? If you’re like most people, then you probably recall one exceptional moment. Perhaps it was poignant, moving, repulsive, hilarious, or scary. It’s not necessarily the best moment; instead, it’s the moment that will be most memorable because it’s different from the other moments. This moment is going to happen regardless of if you plan for it or not. The difference between amateur and pro hosts and facilitators is that the latter plan the peak moment of the workshop or offsite event. (Click here for more on how to plan a peak moment.)
The end moment
It all comes down to this. It’s the final moment for your workshop or offsite event. You need to finish strong, or the whole affair may be perceived as a waste of time.
This phenomenon is known as the peak-end rule. It is a psychological heuristic where people judge an experience primarily by how they felt at its most intense moment and by how it ended rather than by the experience as a whole.
There are three essential feelings you want to create at the end of your event:
Purposeful: You want them to see how today’s investment contributes to the bigger picture.
Productive: You want them to feel the event was a great use of their time.
Pleasant: You want them to feel the time together was fun, and that they are leaving more connected to their fellow people.
The close doesn’t have to be a big production. It is often best done with sincerity and gratitude. I coach the leaders who hire me (hosts) to facilitate their workshops to gather observations and insights throughout the day so they can reference and recognize positive behaviors and active contributors.
How to close a meeting
The power close — I know a leader who is terrific at connecting the team to the bigger purpose and mission of the organization. He uses metaphors and quotes that resonate with and motivate the team. I’ve found myself so utterly moved by one of his closes that I’d completely forgotten I wasn’t a member of his team. Even if you’re not the best communicator, a few well-prepared and thoughtful comments can go a long way toward ending the event on a high note.
The circle — Many facilitators like to use this close because it's an opportunity to allow the participants to have the last word. You can ask each person to go around the circle and do a one-word check out for the day. I'm partial to asking the participants what was most useful for you today? Anything that allows the participants to express themselves and their feelings can lead to transformational moments. Don't be surprised if someone cries, and it happens all the time.
A gift — If you’re extra creative, a thoughtful gift and a story explaining the intended symbolism can also add to a transformational moment. We give a specially made Challenge coin in our culture workshops that support a story about bravery and transformation. Even the smallest of gestures can make a significant impact.
Gratitude — In all of my facilitator guides, the last bullet always reads “gratitude,” because we can never be too grateful to the people who gave up one or two days of their limited time to participate in our workshop or offsite event. Keep this sage advice from Maya Angelou in mind, and you will be ok. “At the end of the day, people won’t remember what you said or did; they will remember how you made them feel.”
All of the above –– The most successful closes are the ones intentionally designed to close the event on a high moment. Combining all of the elements above is an excellent way to put the odds in your favor.
How not to close a meeting
Housekeeping –– No one is listening, send them an email.
Ending late –– No explanation should be needed, never ever go long. Tell the participants that you plan to end at 5 PM and then intentionally let them out at 4:30 PM. No one in the history of meetings has ever complained about finishing early.
Never saying, “So, everyone knows they need to go back to work, right?” I can’t believe I have to say this one, but I’ve witnessed it more times than I’d like. Nothing communicates ungrateful like telling people how to be professionals. If they have work to do back at the office, they will return without your saying it.
Dropping back in–– Leaders who start meetings by saying how important this workshop or offsite is to the success of the organization and then leave for the day, aren’t going to win any leadership awards. The same goes for dropping in at the end and offering a few generic platitudes to people who busted their butts all day. Either stay in the meeting or stay away. Your actions communicate more than your words ever could.
Ask, “Any questions?”— My friends at First Captivate teach people how to be more influential presenters. They recommend that a presenter never end a meeting with “Any questions?” You’re the leader, and you should have the last word. Don’t give away your power to a person with a question, or worse yet, silence. There are few things worse than opening up the floor to questions when you’re trying to close a meeting. It never fails that one person in the group misses all the body language in the room and wants to start or restart an off-topic discussion. Avoid the trap and end strong.
Host a highly productive meeting our 9-step guide and planning template.
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Jeff is a partner at Bravium, and he and his team facilitate strategy and culture workshops that receive rave reviews for being human-centered, elegantly designed, and transformational. He can help you plan your next workshop or offsite experience so you can feel confident that it’s purposeful and productive.