Your first session as a forum moderator sets the tone for everything that follows. A strong start builds trust, establishes norms, and creates momentum that carries the group forward. This guide walks you through every step of preparing for and facilitating your inaugural forum meeting.
Before the Session: Preparation Is Everything
Send a welcome message to all members at least one week before the first session. Include the meeting time, expected duration (90 minutes for the first session), and a brief overview of what to expect. Ask each member to prepare a two-minute introduction that covers their role, one professional challenge they are currently facing, and what they hope to get from the forum.
Take time to review each member's profile and role beforehand. Understanding who is in the room allows you to draw connections between members and facilitate more meaningful introductions.
Setting the Ground Rules
The first 15 minutes of your initial session should be dedicated to establishing the forum covenant. This is a set of shared agreements that every member commits to. The non-negotiable rules are:
- Confidentiality: What is shared in the forum stays in the forum
- Equal voice: Every member speaks; there are no passive observers
- Respect: All perspectives are valid; no judgment or unsolicited advice
- Commitment: Members attend consistently and arrive prepared
- Vulnerability: Members bring real challenges, not rehearsed narratives
The First Session Format
A proven format for the first session is: introductions (30 minutes), ground rules discussion (15 minutes), first forum exercise (30 minutes), and closing round (15 minutes). The forum exercise should be low-stakes but meaningful. We recommend the 'professional crossroads' exercise, where each member shares a moment when they had to make a difficult career decision and what they learned from it.
"The quality of a forum is determined in the first three sessions. Get those right, and you have a group that will thrive for years." -- Ahad Ghadimi, Founder of Forum@Work
Managing Group Dynamics
In every group, you will encounter different personalities. Some members will want to dominate the conversation, while others will hold back. Your job as moderator is to create space for everyone. Use direct invitations ('Sarah, I would love to hear your perspective on this'), time checks ('We have 10 minutes left in this segment'), and the 'parking lot' technique for topics that deserve more time later.
Common First-Session Challenges
The most common challenge is awkward silence. This is normal and actually healthy. Resist the urge to fill every pause. Often, the most profound sharing comes after a moment of silence. If the group truly stalls, use a gentle prompt: 'Who would like to add to what we have heard so far?'
Other challenges include one member over-sharing, tangential conversations, and skepticism about the process. Each of these has a specific moderation technique that is covered in depth during moderator certification training.
After the Session
Within 24 hours, send a brief summary (not detailed notes, as this could undermine confidentiality) thanking everyone for participating. Confirm the next session date and ask for one-line feedback: 'What was the most valuable part of today's session for you?' This feedback helps you calibrate for session two.
Setting Up for Long-Term Success
The first session is just the beginning. Consistency is the single most important factor in forum success. Commit to the same day, same time, every week. Members should block this time as non-negotiable. Over the first four sessions, you will see the group move from polite conversation to genuine depth. Trust the process.
