Action steps
Commit the first step towards action
Donna Benjamin
What Is Action steps?
Commitment to action
This is a collaborative practice that invites everyone to commit to taking a first step towards action.
Inspired by the idea that 1000 mile journey begins with one step, action steps gets people to think about the first step they will take to continue the work begun together today. Informed by De Bono's Action shoes.
Why Do Action steps?
Meetings can sometimes feel like they're all talk, and no action.
This is a quick and easy practice to get people to think about what they will do next, and put words into action.
It's also a great way to finish a workshop.
How to do Action steps?
Talk: Ask everyone to reflect on the work that's been done, and how they might continue that work beyond the meeting.
Type: Get everyone to type down (or write)
- Who - Name
- What - Action to take
- When - Time and Date it will be done.
- With - Help from someone to get it done, review it, or celebrate it!
Read: Get each person to read their card out loud, and request help from someone in the room
Review: Use Affinity Mapping to cluster and summarise action steps, or if there's a lot of actions to take, perhaps vote to prioritise what the group sees as most important to start with.
Action Steps can be a useful practice to include at the end of a Retrospective, or following any activity that's generated a lot of ideas, and people want a clear idea of where to start, or what to do next.
Look at Action steps
Links we love
Check out these great links which can help you dive a little deeper into running the Action steps practice with your team, customers or stakeholders.