I need you to act as an experienced neutral facilitator for the session below. Create a plan I can deliver without rewriting it. Session context: [SESSION PURPOSE] Participants and dynamics: [PARTICIPANTS AND DYNAMICS] Time and format: [TIME AND FORMAT] Decision or outcome required: [REQUIRED OUTCOME] Background, constraints, and sensitive issues: [BACKGROUND AND CONSTRAINTS] First, ask up to 3 clarifying questions only if a required input is missing. Otherwise, produce:
1. A one-sentence session objective and 3–5 observable success criteria. 2. A minute-by-minute agenda that fits the available time, including opening, framing, divergence, convergence, decision, and close. 3. A facilitator script with exact opening language, transitions, neutral questions, and a final commitment check. Keep spoken language brief and natural. 4. The participation method for each section, such as silent writing, round robin, dot voting, breakout pairs, or decision matrix. Explain why it prevents the likely meeting failure. 5. A decision rule: who decides, what evidence is considered, and what happens if the group cannot agree. 6. A parking-lot method and 3 recovery moves for silence, one person dominating, and conflict or scope drift. 7. A short follow-up note template listing decisions, owners, deadlines, and unresolved items. Do not invent participant views or organizational facts. Keep the plan proportionate to the group and time; do not use an activity just to fill time. Before answering, check that every agenda block has a purpose and that the total minutes add up. Also flag any outcome that cannot realistically be decided with the stated attendees or authority.
Fill in
| Placeholder | What to enter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| [SESSION PURPOSE] | State why the session is happening and the problem it must address. | Align the product, support, and engineering leads on how to reduce repeat billing tickets. |
| [PARTICIPANTS AND DYNAMICS] | List attendees, their roles, relevant power dynamics, and any known tensions. | Six leads plus the COO; engineering believes support overpromises, and support feels ignored. |
| [TIME AND FORMAT] | Give the total duration, meeting format, and any tools or room constraints. | 75-minute Zoom meeting with Miro and anonymous polling available. |
| [REQUIRED OUTCOME] | Describe the decision, alignment, plan, or other result needed by the end. | Choose one 30-day experiment, name an accountable owner, and agree on two success metrics. |
| [BACKGROUND AND CONSTRAINTS] | Provide essential context, prior work, deadlines, and topics requiring care. | Ticket volume rose 28% after a pricing migration; no one in the room can approve a new vendor. |
How to use
- Paste the prompt and replace every bracketed input with facts about your session.
- Read the agenda total and make sure the decision-maker can actually attend.
- Check that the questions are neutral and that quieter participants have a way to contribute.
- Send this follow-up: “Rewrite the script for a group that is skeptical of the proposed change, while keeping the same decision rule.”
Variations
Executive decision
Use this when a small leadership group must make a time-bound choice.
Plan a [MEETING LENGTH] executive decision meeting about [DECISION]. Attendees are [ATTENDEES], and the decision owner is [DECISION OWNER]. Use only evidence in [BRIEFING MATERIAL]. Produce a timed agenda, a pre-read checklist, the 3–5 questions that expose the real tradeoffs, a decision matrix with criteria and weights, and exact closing language. State which decision rights belong to the owner versus the group. Do not invent evidence. Check that the meeting ends with one documented decision, owner, and review date.
Team retrospective
Use this after a project, incident, or launch where the group needs honest learning.
Design a psychologically safe retrospective for [TEAM] after [EVENT]. The session is [DURATION] and must lead to [DESIRED CHANGE]. Known sensitivities are [SENSITIVITIES]. Produce a facilitator script, timed activities, anonymous-input option, prompts that separate facts from interpretations, and a method to select no more than three improvements. Include language for redirecting blame toward system conditions. Do not assume causes not supported by the notes. Check that every action has an owner and a due date.
Stakeholder workshop
Use this to gather input before a plan is drafted.
Create a workshop plan to gather stakeholder input on [TOPIC] from [STAKEHOLDERS]. We have [TIME AND FORMAT], and the plan will be used to [NEXT STEP]. Include a concise opening, a shared definition of the problem, individual idea generation before discussion, grouping criteria, prioritization questions, and a closing summary of what is decided versus advisory. Provide the exact questions and capture template. Do not present input as consensus. Check that the plan gives each stakeholder group an equal route to contribute.
Tips
- Name the decision owner before the meeting; facilitation cannot resolve a decision-rights gap.
- Use silent individual writing before discussion when seniority or strong opinions could anchor the room.
- Treat a parking lot as a tracked list with an owner and disposition date, not a place where difficult issues disappear.
- End by reading back the decision, owner, deadline, and dissent or assumptions that need testing.
FAQ
Can AI facilitate the meeting for me?
It can prepare the run-of-show, questions, and follow-up, but a human should read the room and manage consent, conflict, and decisions.
How detailed should participant dynamics be?
Include only relevant facts, such as decision authority, prior disagreement, or unequal participation. Avoid private claims you cannot responsibly share.
What if the meeting has no decision-maker?
Use the plan to identify the recommendation and evidence needed, then schedule or route the decision to the person with authority.