10 effective workshop rules for more productive sessions

In this article, we’ll explore what workshop rules are, why they matter, and how to use them effectively. You’ll find plenty of examples, practical methods for co-creating them with participants, and tips for handling common challenges. Read on to learn everything you need to confidently guide a group in establishing how to work together for productive and engaging workshops!

What are workshop ground rules?

Ground rules are agreements established at the start of a meeting, session, or workshop to guide participant behavior and contributions. These rules often cover etiquette, such as whether smartphones should be silenced or turned off, and encourage active participation from everyone involved.

Ground rules can be set by a facilitator or co-created by the group, making them adaptable to the session’s needs. Essentially, ground rules serve as the do’s and don’ts that help create a productive and respectful workshop environment.

You might have heard ground rules referred to by other names. Some leaders and facilitators prefer terms such as ‘group agreements’. While essentially referring to the same thing, ‘group agreement’ is a softer terminology that empathizes the collective nature of the agreements reached, and the fact that they exist as a guideline rather than as norms that might be enforced with a penalty! 

In groups that work together more continuously, I have also seen the term ‘group contract’ used. Referring to a group contract, or to ‘group norms’ often indicates that the rules established will be used throughout a group’s work and life, rather than for a single workshop, session or event. 

Whatever you choose to call your agreements, they represent a solid foundation for groupwork, and are especially important in the collaborative, participatory atmosphere of a workshop. This is why most expert facilitators will dedicate some time at the start of any workshop to defining, discussing and approving them. Below we will see some practical tools and methods for doing this with the support of the entire group.

10 (real-world) examples of ground rules for workshops 

Every year, I run introductory workshops to facilitation and group dynamics to first-year students in a peace and conflict transformation program. Every year, we start by creating ground rules. 

In this particular case, it makes sense for us to spend a fair amount of time, generally around 45 minutes, just to establish how we will work together. This is because:

• Participants are learning by doing: by co-creating ground rules they are having their first experience of facilitation in action;
• The extremely multicultural nature of this group, and the language barrier, means that nothing can be taken for granted and many nuances (e.g. “what does ‘punctuality’ mean to you?”) must be explored before we can have a meaningful agreement;
• Ground rules therefore become an opportunity to investigate and understand the nature of the group better. Although they are only ‘offical’ during my workshops, they inform how the group will work together going forward and, ultimately, for two entire years. 

While every group is unique, these are some examples, in no particular order, of the typical ground rules my students come up with:

Punctuality

What does punctuality mean for this group? This varies vastly among different groups, cultures, and situations. Avoid miscommunication by clarifying the specific, particular meaning of ‘punctuality’ we will be using for the duration of this workshop clear.

For me, this often means: we will start and end on time. If you join later, you don’t need to provide justification, just join quietly. I’ve recently seen a great picture of a training room where a large poster on the door says “You are late! You can only come in with sweets for everyone or a big smile”. 

Maintain confidentiality

Depending on the nature of the workshop, it might be a good idea to establish a rule around confidentiality. If we are discussing team dynamics in the office, for example, we might be ok with sharing with people present, but not with others. It is common to have a ground rule around confidentiality expressed in terms such as “It’s ok to share stories from the workshop, but only in anonymized form”. 

Phones should be silent

I deeply enjoy the conversations we have with students around rules related to cell phones, as they are often revelatory and surprising. By openly discussing phone use, I’ll often find out that participants tend to multitask, but don’t like to do it; a rule discouraging multitasking can help them self-regulate. At the same time, I have found that cell phones are support for, among others, speakers of other languages who use them to translate or look up definitions and information in real-time. What we usually land on is an agreement to keep phones silent. 

Active participation 

Participation in a workshop means more than just showing up; it involves actively contributing ideas, asking questions, and listening attentively. This rule encourages everyone to bring their best energy to the session and be present both mentally and physically.

All questions are welcome

By making it clear that all questions are valid, this great rule creates a safe and supportive atmosphere where participants feel comfortable seeking clarification or exploring new ideas without fear of being dismissed or judged.

The space we are in is everyone’s responsibility

This is about taking care of the space around us. When things get hectic in workshops, people can easily forget to pick up after themselves, resulting in strewn coffee cups and sticky notes everywhere. Including a ground rule about taking care of the space is a useful reminder to pay attention to how our work impacts the environment we are in.

Use clear language and avoid jargon 

Workshops often include people from diverse backgrounds or roles. Using simple, clear language helps avoid misunderstandings. Avoiding technical terms or remembering to always explain industry-specific jargon ensures inclusivity and keeps communication accessible. Sometimes we will add a dedicated hand gesture participants should make when anyone (facilitator included) is speaking too quickly or using mysterious words. 

Hand signs, by the way, can be a very useful addition to ground rules. This can include gestures to ask for a break, make a direct point, express enthusiasm and more. 

Be supportive

Lift each other up and respect different perspectives. A supportive ground rule reminds participants to approach conversations with kindness, patience, and understanding. By creating a culture of encouragement, the group can collaborate more effectively and build trust.

Be open and curious

Approach the workshop with a willingness to learn. This ground rule encourages participants to set aside preconceived notions and embrace new ideas or viewpoints. Being open and curious helps foster innovation and productive dialogue. Critical comments can be reframed as questions that help the whole group progress. 

Use “I” statements

Speak from your own experience to avoid assumptions. This ground rule helps participants have more constructive discussions by taking ownership of their opinions and feelings. Phrasing comments as “I think” or “I feel” rather than “you should” or “people tend to” reduces defensiveness and promotes constructive conversation.

Ground rules for brainstorming and ideation

Brainstorming and innovation workshops thrive on creativity, open-mindedness, and the willingness to explore new possibilities. Establishing clear ground rules ensures that participants feel empowered to contribute without fear of judgment or rejection, creating an atmosphere where fresh ideas can emerge. These rules are particularly important in brainstorming sessions, where the goal is to generate as many ideas as possible, no matter how unconventional they may seem at first glance.

Ground rules for these sessions should emphasize creative freedom, and a commitment to collaboration. By setting expectations around behaviors like suspending judgment and encouraging bold thinking, facilitators can help participants move beyond their comfort zones and into the realm of innovation. 

Below are five examples of ground rules tailored to brainstorming and innovation workshops.

No bad ideas

Encourage participants to share every idea, no matter how incomplete or unconventional it may seem. This rule reinforces the notion that creativity often emerges from unexpected places and that even “bad” ideas can spark meaningful conversations or inspire others. By setting aside the fear of being wrong, participants are more likely to contribute freely.

Blue sky ideas

Think big ideas, go beyond the constraints of what’s currently possible. Blue sky ideas are about imagining what could be, without worrying about limitations like budget, time, or resources. This ground rule invites participants to dream without restriction, often leading to innovative solutions that can later be refined or adapted.

Postpone judgment 

Encourage the group to suspend criticism or evaluation during the ideation phase. To get the most out of a brainstorming session flow, it should be fine whether participants are coming up with feasible ideas or unlikely solutions. This ground rule is critical in maintaining the flow of creative energy, as premature judgment can stifle the process.

Participants should be reminded that evaluation will come later, during the refinement stage, at which point it makes sense to consider practical constraints and exclude some ideas. It just should not be done when ideas are first shared. This is not about not using our critical thinking and judgment at all: it’s about being clear about when to encourage wild creativity and defer judgment to a later point. 

“Yes, and..”

Build on each other’s creative ideas. Inspire collaboration by encouraging participants to use one another’s ideas as a springboard for new thoughts. This rule fosters a sense of teamwork and amplifies creativity by combining perspectives. For example, someone’s initial idea might evolve into a breakthrough when others add their insights.

Use of AI for ideation

In the brave new world of generative AI being at most people’s fingertips, ideation and brainstorming workshops in particular will benefit from establishing an agreed-upon guardrail for AI use. It’s super-easy to flood the workshop with AI-generated ideas, and then ask for even more ideas, which can be overwhelming, confusing and counterproductive. 

Discuss with participants how to put AI to good use for example by turning drafts into more tangible ideas, critiquing and judging ideas, or adding a small batch of new ideas at a time, which participants can use a springboard for their own thinking. For more on how to use AI in brainstorming, check out resources from the AI Tinkerer’s Club!

Adapting ground rules for workshop types

As should be clear by now, there is no unique and universally valid set of ground rules that will work for any group or workshop type. You can start with a standard set of generic principles, such as “active participation” and “respect”, and see where the conversation with your participants leads. 

When facilitating a conversation around such agreements, you should also give some thought to having lists of rules to specific workshop types. We have seen above a list of ideas that help participants get into the right frame of mind for an ideation or brainstorming session, for example.

To adapt a starting list of ground rules to the specific workshop type, ask yourself, and the group: what do we want to achieve in this session, specifically? What sorts of guidelines or mindset would help us get there?  

If you are working on strategy or decision making, you might want to encourage the group to explore rules that help clarify, direct and focus thinking, such as having a parking lot. 

A parking lot refers to having a space, usually a poster or a section of a shared whiteboard, where to park off topic ideas, questions or comments that fall outside of the focus of a specific time or activity. Ideas and notes in a parking lot are usually addressed at a later time, perhaps towards the end of the workshop. This allows participants to free mindspace and restore focus when conversations are getting off-track. 

So far we have seen various reasons in support of having a strong container for your workshop, co-creating ground rules with participants to land on a list that reflect the group’s intentions and aspirations and enables everyone to participate at their best. 

But are ground rules always a good idea? As with most things in facilitation, the answer is “it depends”. There is quite a spirited discussion among professional facilitators as to how and why caution should be taken in considering them an all-purpose tool. Can ground rules actually hurt, or hinder, your group? 

Suppose the main purpose of your workshop has to do with personal development, authenticity and self-expression. In that case, you should approach the idea of regulating behavior with much more caution. 

I have worked alongside practitioners of restorative justice, for example, for whom it was very important not to censor behaviors that might be generally viewed as “loud” or “overly emotional”.

A rule such as “Do not interrupt” can enforce a certain communication style over another and end up being accidentally repressive. Reasons for choosing such rules must make sense for the specific situation, at a specific time. And in some cases, you may not want ground rules at all, but rather accompany the group to solve clashes and disagreements as they appear, allowing for a more emergent approach to group regulation. 

Workshop rules and culture creation: aligning group agreements, goals and values

As you can tell, ground rules can be a mixture of elements such as:

• Etiquette. How will we behave in practice? Examples of this include discussions on punctuality and timing, or on use of phones and laptops;
• Communication styles. How do we speak with one another? This includes things like using ‘I’ statements or avoiding jargon;
• Behavioral agreements. Who do we want to be? These are harder to define as proper ‘rules’ as it’s hard to tell whether they have been adhered to, but are more akin to intentions, values and aspirations. We know we might fail at being constantly supportive, open and curious, but we agree to try.

The latter type of ground rule offers every group an opportunity to shape their group culture not only in terms of the present (how things currently are) but of an ideal future (how do we want to be).

Group agreements can, in fact, be viewed as a practical, concrete application of team values. What does it mean for us to be kind, or to have a growth mindset, or to be present? How do we manifest these ideals into practical behaviors?

Many groups I have worked with in the nonprofit space have a ground rule meant to encourage presence and focus attention: if at any point anyone feels their attention wavering, they can ring a bell to ask for two minutes of silence and concentration. This is a great example of how a group can use ground rules to co-create cultural norms and ways of being. 

The Thiagi Group has an activity to select and discuss training workshop rules with participants, based on using pre-existing lists of 70 different ground rules and inviting people to choose among them. Their list is full of great ideas for culture-shaping rules such as “Expect to be surprised” or “Don’t lose your sense of humor”. 

5 methods to encourage participants to co-create group agreements

Throughout the article I’ve been stressing the importance of co-creating agreements with your participants, rather than imposing them yourself. Co-creating agreements with participants has many advantages, including:

• Ownership. Participants are more likely to adhere to codes of conduct they have created themselves;
• Fit-to-purpose. You might be surprised by what participants come up with! I’ve had group agreements that included tips on where to park cars to make it to the workshop on time, or on when and how to take screenshots in video calls. No facilitator can possibly predict everyone’s needs, and the only way to find out what fits a specific group is by asking;
• Improved trust and alignment. Co-creating agreements doubles as a team-building experience that will leave the group more cohesive, and establish shared awareness around needs and boundaries, ultimately helping people deepen bonds by learning more about one another.

If you’d like to try your hand at guiding a group conversation around meeting rules, here are 5 methods from SessionLab’s library of facilitation techniques that can help you do just that.

Let’s start with a write-up on how to establish a group contract, taken from The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth by Amy Edmondson. Besides the useful, detailed questions to use for workshop discussions, what I love about it is that it starts by inviting participants to visualize themselves at the end of the workshop session if everything has gone spectacularly well. How do they feel? What happened? What behaviors enabled such success? This is great anchor point to start off discussions. 

When short for time, you can still create good meeting guidelines by looking at the deceptively simple question “What do you expect from today?” In this method from the International Association of Facilitators’ library, divide a flipchart into four quadrants and ask for suggestions on what people expect from themselves, from other participants, from the trainer and the training. 

Gamestorming’s recommendation on how to create a code of conduct includes useful tips for the facilitator. Using as a guiding question “What would make this workshop meaningful and pleasant?”, create visual mindmaps that synthesize emergent ideas. 

Last but not least, my personal go-to method for group agreement creation, which I learned early in my career and have stuck to because, from my personal viewpoint, (1) it works and (2) it’s easy to remember, being based on the mnemonic of 4G: ask participants to think of Gains (expectations, what they want to take from the workshop), Gifts (what are they bringing, what can they contribute) and Groans (worries, concerns, anxieties). Then turn those into potential Guidelines for the day. 

How workshop ground rules help create a constructive and positive atmosphere

Ground rules are part of the process of ‘container-building’. This refers to setting in place the conditions for positive, collaborative work. A meeting or workshop is, after all, an artificial environment, where behavior is not as spontaneous as in day to day life, but responds to a specific set of criteria to create a productive, collaborative space. Inside the workshop ‘container’ specific modes of behavior apply. 

Many actions facilitators and team leaders take at the start of a workshop have the overall intention of creating and strengthening this container, in order to help participants understand their role, and +make the space psychologically safer. I am saying ‘safer’ and not ‘safe’ as we can never truly establish a ‘safe space’ for everyone. But we can do our best to make it safer for attendees to express themselves and raise any questions or concerns. 

Some of the actions of creating a container include:

• sharing the objectives and agenda of the workshop;
• pointing out any logistical needs, such as times for breaks;
• clarifying intentions and desired outcomes.

Setting and discussing ground rules is arguably the most powerful lever a facilitator can pull to create a solid container for a workshop. This is especially true in diverse, multicultural settings, where the same word can mean wildly different things to different people. A typical example is “punctuality”. Punctuality is probably implied in any professional setting, but what does it mean, exactly?

When setting ground rules, a group might unveil different cultural expectations and sensitivities around punctuality. Does it mean we start on the dot? Or, as common in many academic settings, that a session will begin 15 minutes late? What is expected from people who arrive later? Will we wait for everyone or begin without them?

It is interesting to note that any group convening to work together will, in fact, create ground rules for itself regardless of whether this is an explicit process or not. When a group of people gathers, they will automatically establish some do’s and don’ts. What dress code and attire is acceptable, and what is not? How do we refer to one another? Who gets to speak more, or less? 

At the beginning of my career as a professional facilitator, I worked a lot with non-profit groups and grassroots community organizations, introducing them to effective meeting models and facilitation concepts. One of the things I would ask at the beginning is: “What is your group contract? What are your agreements?” 

Often, the initial response was “We do not have any”. But was that true? A bit of digging would uncover the existence of unwritten, unspoken rules all members in fact adhered to without even noticing. Some could be good, effective, and functional, such as “We always begin on time, and people joining later enter quietly”, but others often needed rediscussion, such as a pervasive “It is ok to interrupt newcomers, but senior members can completely dominate the conversation for as long as they want”. 

In the absence of explicit ground rules, in other words, the group will revert to whatever is considered “normal” in the general context. This may be functional or dysfunctional and, in any case, will remain unspoken and hidden. Hidden norms can be the source of much conflict, as different people will interpret them differently.

Suppose I think it’s perfectly ok to use my phone to multitask during a workshop, while someone else may find it rude and even feel hurt by such behavior, deeming it disrespectful. This can give rise to secret resentments and grumpy judgments that we will carry with us throughout the day, negatively affecting our collaboration. 

Setting ground rules at the start of a workshop allows the group to have clear expectations and even set aspirational goals for how they hope to behave together and towards one another. 

When I worked as a tutor for summer schools, I generally dedicated about an hour at the start of the program to craft a group contract together with students. We would write it up on a sheet of poster paper and carry it with us from classroom to classroom, from site visit to lecture, hanging it up as a reminder wherever we went. Working with university students, the hot topic of asking questions often came up. 

Someone would timidly raise the idea of having a ground rule around asking questions: “Can we write that it’s ok to admit not to know something?” Having an open, honest discussion in which many participants revealed their fears of being judged if they asked so-called “stupid questions” led to a lot of relief.

We would generally include an agreement along the lines of “All questions are welcome and are a gift to advance our collective learning.” This generally led to lecturers and professors being enthusiastic about working with our group, as we would reliably have great discussions rather than stone-faced silence during Q&A sessions. 

The key takeaways here are that ground rules can help groups build a collaborative atmosphere by:

• Reducing participant stress by clarifying expectations for contribution;
• Preventing conflicts that might arise from misunderstanding the intentions behind one another’s behavior;
• Creating a more cohesive and aligned group by making implicit norms explicit;
• Ensuring the session stays focused and productive by setting shared expectations;
• Giving team leaders, facilitators, and participants a convenient reference point that can be useful later in the workshop to resolve discussions and disagreements.

Common challenges when setting ground rules (and how to overcome them)

Having come this far, you should feel equipped to establish a strong foundation for your next workshop, with a clear understanding of why a meeting guideline matters, and how to create one. But as with any aspect of facilitation, things don’t always go smoothly. Here are four common challenges you might face when setting and using ground rules, along with tips to help you navigate them.

1. Time is tight

This is probably the most common issue with dedicating time at the start of a workshop to co-create ground rules. If you’re only working together for a couple of hours or half a day, is it really worth it?

In my experience, even with limited time, it’s important to establish at least a basic code of conduct. When time is short, you might need to sacrifice the discussion phase. Instead, prepare a pre-established set of standard rules and present them to the group, asking for quick agreement (a thumbs-up or brief verbal acknowledgment can suffice). While this doesn’t allow for full alignment, it sets a baseline for behavior.

When I’m designing shorter sessions, I’ll always dedicate at least 5-10 minutes to “housekeeping.” This includes presenting the agenda (what are we doing?), reminding participants of our objectives (where do we want to be by the end?), and introducing the agreements I hope they can commit to (what’s expected of us during this time?). Even brief alignment makes a big difference.

I DO ARRT is the perfect structure to use if you are short on time but still want to make sure you have a strong enough container to start the workshop. The title is a mnemonic device to help you remember to start any meeting or workshop by introducing Intention, Desired Outcomes, your Agenda, Roles, Rules and Timing. 

2. Ideas are too vague

Sometimes participants will suggest broad rules like “respect everyone” or “stay positive.” While well-intentioned, vague ideas can lack the specificity needed to guide behavior in practice.

When this happens, it’s often a sign that participants don’t feel comfortable sharing what truly helps them stay focused, productive, or comfortable. To address this, consider using a facilitation activity like 1-2-4-All to help participants articulate their ideas more clearly. 

Another helpful strategy is to ask, “How will be able to tell if this rule has been followed or not?” This invites concrete examples and helps the group develop actionable, pragmatic agreements.

3. Perfectionism 

Senior facilitators and trainers are righteously wary of using the precious time at the start of a workshop, when energy and attention are high, to define group agreements together. Is this the best possible use of that time? 

The question is particularly important if people get mired in perfectionism, attempting to craft the ideal set of rules and find the perfect answer to every possible future problem. This can lead to haggling over details such as wording; energy will diminish rapidly, with some people starting to disengage.

In some cases, there might be a real and interesting conflict behind the search for a “perfect” rule. In this case, naming it and parking it for later discussion might be the best course of action. 

In most cases, though, the group is trying to complete a task at its very best. To shift that helpful attitude to the actual purpose of the workshop, rather than losing momentum by fixating on a perfect set of rules, here are two useful reminders you can mention as facilitator:

• The agreements we create should be “good enough for now and safe enough to try”, a useful framing I’ve picked up from Sociocracy to remind everyone that we are not writing a national constitution, just a set of guidelines that will dissipate at the end of the day, or weekend, or training course. Can we live with it, knowing it’s not perfect? This usually gives some relaxation and respite and allows you to move on more quickly;
• We can revisit our agreements later. Especially if the group will be working together for a length of time, it’s useful to remind everyone that the set of agreements you start with can be checked and revisited, for example at the start of Day 2, to verify if they work well and add what may be missing. 

Ultimately, the process of creating ground rules should be engaging and should not take away too much time and energy from the rest of the workshop. 

4. Participants don’t take the rules seriously (and nobody enforces them) 

To address this, involve participants in co-creating the ground rules whenever possible. When people participate in establishing the agreements, they are more likely to take ownership and respect them. You can also explain the purpose behind each rule, linking it directly to the workshop’s objectives (e.g., “This rule helps us stay focused so we can achieve our goal of generating actionable ideas.”). 

Ground rules are only effective if they’re followed, and it’s often the facilitator’s responsibility to ensure they’re respected. Without visible reminders or active enforcement, they can quickly be forgotten.

To prevent this, write the ground rules on a visible surface—such as a flip chart, slide, or whiteboard—and refer back to them as needed. If you notice behavior veering off track, gently remind the group by pointing to the agreements and asking, “Does this align with what we agreed on? Are we okay with this, or should we adjust?”

Balancing firmness and flexibility will depend on your facilitation style and the cultural context, but showing accountability is key to maintaining a constructive environment. Finally, model the behavior you want to see: your own commitment to the ground rules can inspire others to follow suit.

Setting ground rules may seem like a small step in workshop design, but it can have a transformative impact on your sessions. These agreements create a foundation of trust, clarity, and mutual respect that helps participants feel safe to contribute, collaborate, and thrive. While challenges may arise, each offers an opportunity to fine-tune your approach and learn what works best for your group.

What’s next

If you came looking for ideas and recommendations on how, and why, to establish a code of conduct for a group, chances are you a planning a workshop, session or event.

To learn more about tips and tricks on how to run successful, engaging workshops, we’ve created a quick how-to guide with some foolproof ideas and techniques on how to run a workshop.

For a more detailed and thorough overview of everything that goes into planning a workshop, from initial concept notes all the way to feedback and reporting, read our complete guide to planning a workshop.

Perhaps you are interested in the idea of hosting a workshop, but not so clear on what kind of topic and activity is right for your group? In this article, we’ve listed 20 workshop ideas for all sorts of teams.

Have you tried out any tips or methods listed here? Or perhaps you have different ideas on what works to set basic rules for a workshop? Let us know in the comments, or join SessionLab’s free, friendly community to discuss with other facilitators and trainers! 

Deborah Rim Moiso Facilitation Content Writer

Deborah Rim Moiso is an Endorsed Facilitator with the IAF – International Association of Facilitators and former co-chair of the Italian IAF Chapter.

She is the author of a manual and deck of cards on facilitation available in Italian (Facilitiamoci!). Deborah has been working with groups since 2009 in the fields of innovation in education, citizen participation, and environmental conflicts.