In your role as Squad Mod, you have a unique opportunity to support the women in your Squad when they are most vulnerable and have the most potential to change for the better. Really it’s an honor!
But don’t let that news make you nervous. We’re all here to learn, get better, and lean on each other -- and although you’re steering the ship, the Hot Seat is really about the person discussing their career challenges and the group using teamwork to help them figure it out. Follow these steps and guidelines to make sure that your Hot Seats go well and you’ll be prepared.
The most important steps to take to prepare for the Hot Seat are:
- At least 3 days before the Hot Seat, send a message in the Group Conversation about who is up next week, and ask them to confirm they will be ready for their Hot Seat in the Group Conversation
- Prompt them to send us a few key details about what they’d like to discuss that they got from filling out their Hot Seat Worksheet
- Prompt them to send us a few key details about what they’d like to discuss that they got from filling out their Hot Seat Worksheet
- Everyone’s Hot Seat experience is different, so go into this with a flexible mindset. Remember, this is about the Hot Seater, not you. As a Mod, this is what youshould do to prepare:
Ask the Hot Seater what they prefer (them taking the reigns or you facilitating more) before the day of their Hot Seat, with an understanding that you may have to:
Ask questions, like:
What is your biggest career challenge right now? Can you try to break your challenge down into small chunks and manage each one step by step? What sort of expertise could you use to help you overcome this challenge? Are there underlying issues (emotional, financial, relationship-wise…) that could be stalling your progress or causing you more challenges? What would you say is the most pressing issue regarding this career challenge? What have you tried that maybe hasn’t worked yet? Do you know why it hasn’t worked? What is your comfort level trying this potential thing (e.g., asking for a promotion/ more responsibility, having a heart to heart with your co-Chair, organizing an event, etc.) What can we (members of the Squad) do to support you?
Based on our career experience, who specifically in the Squad do you think might have good resources to help you through this time? How do you like to receive feedback? What are your measurements for success?
Ask others in the group to contribute:
Do any of you have experience with a similar challenge?
Do you have any resources that might be helpful to the Hot Seater in her current situation?
Is Hot Seater approaching this challenge in a way that will help her overcome it? If not, how can we help her?
At the end (with 5 minutes left), make sure you ask the Hot Seater:
- What are your 2 or 3 next steps to face this challenge head on?
- What are your 2 or 3 goals you’d like to meet in the next month or two towards figuring this out
- Write the answers to these questions on the Squad Notes for everyone to reference
- Things not to forget throughout the Hot Seat:
Take notes
Remember details
The way people say things sometimes tells us more than what they’re saying, so be sensitive to that and bring it up when you think it’s necessary
Say things like:
“It sounds like…”
“The way you said that makes me believe that…”
“What I heard when you said that was…”
Ask for feedback from people in the group
Specifically you should be asking the people who seem to be the most engaged in the conversation or who appear to have something to contribute
Remember that some days people are on, some days people are off
Understand that some people prefer to digest information and follow up later: remind those on the meeting that either way works, but encourage them to follow up regardless
Tell the Squad that it’s time to wrap up, and:
Whose Hot Seat is up next or what the Hot Topic is next week
Where they can find updated Notes
To have a great week, and Thank You for being here for your Squad!