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Organizational Excellence

Stop/Start/Continue

With a simple Stop/Start/Continue chart, you can gather balanced feedback for continuous improvement. The tool helps teams reflect on what actions to stop, what new actions to start, and what successful actions to continue. 


Step by step:

1. Introduce the framework: Explain that “Stop” identifies actions or behaviors that are no longer useful, “Start” highlights new activities to begin, and “Continue” focuses on things that are working well and should be maintained.

2. Create the Stop/Start/Continue chart: Divide a whiteboard or large sheet of paper into three sections labeled “Stop,” “Start,” and “Continue.”

3. Gather input: Ask participants to reflect on their experiences and contribute ideas under each category. Encourage them to think critically about what is no longer effective (Stop), new strategies to try (Start), and what’s working well (Continue).

4. Facilitate participation: You can collect feedback verbally, by having participants write directly on the chart, or by using sticky notes for anonymous input. Ensure everyone’s voice is heard.

5. Review and discuss: Once all ideas are collected, review them as a group. Discuss the “Stop” actions to determine if they are truly ineffective, the “Start” actions to explore potential innovations, and the “Continue” actions to celebrate ongoing successes.

6. Develop next steps: Based on the discussion, create an action plan to address the “Start” and “Stop” ideas and reinforce the “Continue” practices. Include responsibilities and timelines.

For virtual meetings  Here are tips for using this tool in an online meeting:

• Premake and use a three-column doc or spreadsheet on screen. 
• Go from person to person to ensure spoken input from all. 
• Consider hearing all Stop items, then Start, then Continue.

Organizational Excellence


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