Guide to Adjourning

Teams often rush through an intentional adjournment or skip it entirely. A checklist ensures important steps — such as recognizing contributions, capturing lessons, archiving files, and clarifying handoffs —aren’t overlooked.

Get started

• Preparing for This Activity
• Roadmap
• Instructions
• Closing Thoughts

Preparing for This Activity

• Anticipated Duration: Ongoing
• Preparation Level: Low
• Suitable for: In person and remote meetings
• Materials:
  • Adjourning Checklist handout

Roadmap

Share that the Adjourning Checklist will help us bring intentional closure to the team.

• Reduce risk
  Prevent loose ends by confirming ownership of remaining tasks, archiving critical documents, and communicating next steps clearly.
• Capture learning and outcomes
  Help document insights, best practices, and lessons learned so they can be reused, improving organizational knowledge and efficiency.
• Support psychological safety and well-being
  Create space for reflection and appreciation, which helps team members feel valued and transition smoothly to new roles or projects.
• Create connection
  Encourage recognition and gratitude, leaving the team experience on a positive note and maintaining connections for future collaboration.
• Encourage organizational standards
  A checklist ensures consistency across teams, making adjournment a predictable and professional process rather than an afterthought.

Instructions

Why: Ensure a smooth transition, intentionally acknowledge a team’s approaching conclusion, and clearly communicate next steps.

Use (and adapt as helpful) the provided Adjourning Checklist to:

• Acknowledge the ending and communicate next steps.
• Set a timeline, assign responsibilities, and review goals and results.
• Celebrate accomplishments and invite feedback on experiences, challenges, and lessons learned.

Closing Thoughts

Consider the following tips:

• Encourage each member to contribute to the adjourning process.
• Use a collaborative tool, such as a shared document. This will allow multiple users to contribute in real time.
• Review the checklist and adapt it to the team’s context (project complexity, size, culture).
• Use the checklist as a guide, not a script.
• Confirm that archives are complete and accessible.
• Send thank you notes or recognition summaries.
• Communicate lessons learned to stakeholders or future teams.