The most frequently used techniques from BEsmart's facilitation practice — organised by meeting phase, ready to use today.
40+
techniques
5
meeting phases
free
on Miroverse
BESMART
This deck is for you if…
First-time managers
You stepped into a new role and discovered most of the job is facilitating conversations — nobody taught you how.
Team leads & engineering managers
You run recurring meetings and want more focus, participation, and ownership — fewer rounds, clearer outcomes.
Founders & product leaders
You need meetings to move work forward without adding noise or calendar overload to a growing team.
Pick a card. Run it. Move on. Each card covers one technique for one moment in a meeting. The cards are organised by phase — so you always know where you are and what to reach for. Use them to design a session from scratch, or pull one card when the room gets stuck.
Phase 01
Tuning In
Activities to open the room, raise energy, and align everyone on the goal.
12 cards
→
People arrive distracted, late, or unprepared — and the first 10 minutes are wasted getting everyone on the same page.
Focus10 min
Agenda
Align on what's happening today and what success looks like before anything else.
Energy10 min
Small talk in pairs
Warm up the group with a low-stakes paired conversation before the work starts.
Trust15 min
Getting to know each other
Share a number that has special meaning for you — then explain why to the group.
Phase 02
Divergent Activities
Broaden the field. Generate ideas, gather perspectives, surface what's unsaid.
14 cards
→
Two or three loud voices dominate. The rest go quiet. You end up with one perspective dressed up as a team decision.
Engagement15 min
Silent brainstorm
Everyone writes independently first — no influence, no anchoring on the loudest idea.
Discussion5 min
Open question
One question with no right answer — designed to spark real, unexpected thinking.
Creative15 min
Lateral provocation
Use an absurd angle to break out of the obvious and find surprising solutions.
Phase 03
Groan Zone
When the group has different views and needs to reach mutual understanding before moving forward.
8 cards
→
The discussion goes in circles. Everyone has a different read of the problem. No one feels heard — so no one moves.
Teamline15 min
Searching for common ground
Find the shared value that's hiding underneath conflicting positions.
Teamline40 min
Debates
Argue for the side you disagree with — then switch. Builds understanding fast.
Teamline15 min
Clarification
Ask participants to elaborate — "what's the most important thing about this idea?"
Phase 04
Convergent Activities
Help the team choose from options, agree on a solution, and move toward a decision.
10 cards
→
Too many options, no clear owner. The meeting ends with "let's discuss this next time" — again.
Decision15 min
Voting
Simple dot voting to surface what the group actually prioritises — not just what's loudest.
Decision15 min
Matrix of two parameters
Plot options on two axes — effort vs impact, or risk vs value. Clarity in 15 minutes.
Decision15 min
Autocratic solution
When a decision must be made and time is short — here's how to do it cleanly and fairly.
Phase 05
Conclusion
Close the meeting properly. Record results, set actions, make sure everyone knows what happens next.
8 cards
→
A decision was made — but three days later nobody remembers who owns what. The follow-up meeting is now on the calendar.
Implementation15 min
Action plan
What, who, when. Read it back out loud before anyone leaves the room.
Trust15 min
Acknowledgements
Recognise what went well and who made a difference in today's session.
Info5 min
Grade
Rate the meeting 1–10. Three open questions to close the loop and improve next time.
All 40+ cards — free on Miroverse
Open the full board, pick your cards, build your flow. Works for retrospectives, kick-offs, planning sessions, and daily stand-ups.