Apie
Starting your trio for the first time, we recommend the following structure:
- Start with opening and checking in. If you do not know each other, present yourself and your areas of work as a trainer, check with yourself and each other how you are at the moment and how much you want to share.
- Share your expectations and needs – what do you want from the trio? What are the current needs behind this process, for example, lacking recognition of your work or longing for community and contribution?
- Talk about the internal rules and guidelines you would like to follow. For example, keeping it confidential, being respectful, and a non-judgemental place could be a start.
- Discuss what could be your shared purpose as a trio. It could be beneficial to write it down (e.g., create a shared Google doc for documenting your meetings), remember it and come back to it occasionally, e.g., have an open and supportive space for sharing and learning from it through reflection and group empathy.
- When the trio foundations are complete, you can start! We propose to start sharing your 360 process (self-assessment you did and feedback you got): What were your impressions? How are you feeling about it? What are your conclusions? What do you want to do about it now? Some plans or steps to take?
- When sharing, ensure everyone has equal time to share and be heard.
- Make plans for your next trio meeting! Schedule it realistically in your agenda.
- Closure – check in again. How are you right now? How did this trio time serve you? What are you taking away with you?
If you have already been through the first (possibly unfamiliar) trio meeting, then for the next meetings we propose the following structure:
- Opening- checking in with each other, how are we today
- Decide how much time you can spend together for the trio, ensuring you leave time as well for closing
- While you share your situation/insights/thoughts, others have their focus on you with the intention of understanding and support.
- If you wish, you could share and discuss these areas: Current needs in your professional development; ETS competence area you are focusing on and support on making sense out of it; Supervision of a current training environment situation that happened; Exercises from Hold Your Aces
- The next person who shares can choose the same focus or use their time in a different way
- Closing – check if your needs were met – did you connect? Did you give and receive support? Is the structure of the trio working for you?
- Make plans for your next trio meeting! Schedule it realistically in your agenda.