Clearing the Fog: 4 Essential Prompts for Better Framing

 January Edition of The Facilitator's Promptbook

If December was about setting the stage, January was about sharpening the lens.

Through Prompts #4 to #7 of The Facilitator's Promptbook series, we moved from vague ambition to intentional framing. These four questions help facilitators clarify scope, align expectations, and set a productive emotional tone—especially in the early moments when things can easily veer off track.

Here's a recap of the four prompts from January, with reflections on when and why to use them.

Prompt #4 – What is not the purpose of this session?

This deceptively simple question does two things:

1. It reduces noise.

2. It builds trust.

By explicitly naming what this session won't try to solve, you avoid the common trap of over-promising or spreading focus too thin. Scope creep is the silent killer of good meetings — and this prompt lets you disarm it from the start.

✅ Use with facilitators or hosts during prep conversations.

Prompt #5 – What question are we really here to answer together?

This is a framing prompt, and one of the most powerful tools you can deploy to unify a group.

By inviting participants to surface the real question behind the agenda, you tap into their collective intelligence — and often reveal a deeper shared concern that wasn't yet named. That's when engagement spikes.

✅ Ideal for opening moments in strategic or ambiguous conversations.

Prompt #6 – What happens if this session doesn't happen now?

This prompt injects urgency. It reminds everyone that this isn't just a calendar filler — it's a meaningful intervention.

In a world of Zoom fatigue and meeting overload, people show up differently when they feel their time matters. This prompt re-anchors attention to the "why now" and gives the session emotional gravity.

✅ Use with hosts or steering teams when validating your meeting's relevance.

Prompt #7 – If this session had a soundtrack, what would it be?

Sometimes words don't cut it. Music, metaphors, and emotion speak more quickly and more deeply. This is one of my favourite prompts for setting a creative, inclusive tone.

You'll be amazed by the diversity of answers: from "Eye of the Tiger" to "Silence" to "Bohemian Rhapsody." Each reveals the emotional state or desire in the room. More importantly, it helps people relate beyond roles or titles.

✅ Use as a warm-up, energiser, or check-in — especially in hybrid settings.

Why These Prompts Matter

These four questions form a powerful arc for session preparation and opening:

• Prompt #4 defines boundaries.

• Prompt #5 focuses on inquiry.

• Prompt #6 restores urgency.

• Prompt #7 creates a human connection.

Together, they help you step into the session with clarity, intention, and relational energy.

If you missed these posts, you can revisit the visual cards and practical guidance each Monday in my LinkedIn series, or explore the whole series at the Architecting Collaboration store, where this community of facilitators continues to grow.

Coming next: In February, we shift gears. Prompts #8–11 highlight power dynamics, presence, and co-creation. Subscribe to or follow the hashtag #PromptbookSeries to stay in the loop.

Let's keep architecting better conversations — one prompt at a time.

Paul Nunesdea
Facilitator | Author | Collaboration Architect
Curator of The Facilitator's Promptbook
Founder of Architecting Collaboration
Host of the Talk to Your Meeting Doctors podcast