Quick Reference
All 8 roles at a glance| Role | Owns | Prep Required | Difficulty | Unlocked At |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Facilitator | The entire program — enrollment, progression, culture | Weekly: review tracker, confirm agenda, brief Chair | High — ongoing | Program lead only |
| Session Chair | The 90-minute session from open to close | Confirm agenda, prepare introductions for each presenter | Medium-High | Level 3 |
| Evaluator | One presenter's feedback — written and verbal | Review the project criteria; know what you're evaluating against | Medium | Level 2 |
| General Evaluator | Evaluation quality across the whole session | Note-take throughout; prepare session-level observations | High | Level 4 |
| Timekeeper | All presentation timing; signals and report | Confirm time limits with each presenter before session starts | Low | Level 1 |
| Clarity Monitor | Filler words, hedging language, undefined jargon | Review the filler word list; prepare your tracking method | Low-Medium | Level 1 |
| Warm-Up Moderator | The 10-minute impromptu warm-up round | Prepare 6–8 relevant professional questions | Medium | Level 2 |
| Session Scribe | Written summary of key feedback themes; distributes within 24h | Bring note-taking method; stay focused on themes not transcription | Low | Level 1 |
One rule that applies to every role: Showing up unprepared for a role wastes the time of every person in the room — not just your own. If you cannot prepare for your assigned role, notify the Session Chair at least 24 hours before the session so a replacement can be arranged.
The Facilitator
Program lead · Ongoing roleThe Facilitator owns the Sharp Deck program from enrollment through graduation. You are not the host of each meeting — that's the Session Chair's job. You are the architect: you maintain the cohort, track member progression, assign roles, onboard new members, manage mentor pairings, and hold the standard of quality across every session. Think of yourself less as a teacher and more as the person who designs and protects the conditions in which learning happens.
- Maintain the cohort tracker — project completions, evaluation records, level progressions
- Assign meeting roles at least one week in advance of each session
- Pair each new member with a mentor by the end of Level 1
- Confirm the session agenda with the Session Chair 48 hours before each meeting
- Monitor evaluation quality — if evaluations are consistently vague or encouraging-only, address it directly
- Identify members ready to advance levels and formally recognize progression
- Conduct a program retrospective every 8–10 sessions to improve the structure
- Recruit and onboard new members when cohort drops below 10
- Review the tracker — who is presenting, what project, what level
- Confirm evaluation forms have been distributed to assigned evaluators
- Brief the Session Chair on anything unusual (new member, sensitive feedback situation, guest)
- Confirm the Timekeeper has the correct time limits for each presentation
- Check that the Warm-Up Moderator has prepared questions
The biggest failure mode for a Facilitator is becoming a cheerleader. Your job is to hold the standard, not to make everyone feel good. A cohort where evaluations are soft, attendance is untracked, and members slide through levels without real growth reflects directly on you. Friendly and rigorous are not opposites.
- Address weak evaluations privately, immediately after the session
- Recognize real progress publicly and specifically
- Keep the tracker current — within 24 hours of every session
- Give members honest timelines for level completion
- Step in if a Session Chair loses control of timing
- Run the session yourself — delegate the Chair role and trust it
- Let poor attendance slide without a direct conversation
- Advance members through levels as a courtesy
- Accept "I didn't have time to prepare" without consequence
- Use the session to showcase your own presenting skills
Session Chair
Owns the room · Level 3 unlockThe Session Chair hosts and conducts the 90-minute session. You open and close the meeting, introduce each presenter, manage transitions between segments, and keep the energy professional and purposeful. This is not a passive administrative role — it is a facilitation practice project. The way you run the room is itself a model of professional communication.
- Receive the confirmed agenda from the Facilitator at least 48 hours in advance
- Prepare a 2–3 sentence introduction for each presenter — their name, their track, and what project they're delivering
- Prepare your opening: a brief framing statement that sets the session's focus or theme
- Confirm the room setup — seating, display, timing signals visible to presenters
- Arrive 10 minutes early; greet members as they arrive
- Open the session with a crisp framing statement — 60 to 90 seconds maximum
- Introduce each presenter by name, track, and project before inviting them up
- After each presentation, pause 15–20 seconds to allow written evaluation to begin before moving on
- Manage transitions smoothly — never leave the room in silence wondering what comes next
- Hand the floor to the General Evaluator at the evaluation segment and step back
- Close with a single sentence: the one thing the group should carry out of this session
"Good [morning/afternoon/evening]. I'm [Name], your Session Chair today. Welcome to Sharp Deck Session [number]. Tonight we have three presentations covering [brief themes]. Before we begin, a quick word on why we're here: every person in this room has to present professionally — to teams, to leadership, to clients. This is where we practice doing it badly so we can do it well when it counts. Let's get started. Our Warm-Up Moderator today is [Name]."
- Keep your own speaking time tight — you're hosting, not presenting
- Protect the schedule; cut transitions short if sessions are running long
- Make each presenter introduction feel personal and prepared
- Stay visible and engaged throughout — not on your phone
- Editorialize after presentations ("That was amazing!") — that's the evaluator's job
- Let the session run past 90 minutes without explicit group consent
- Read introductions verbatim from a phone — know your presenters
- Fill silence with filler — a brief pause is professional
Evaluator
One presenter · Honest feedback · Level 2 unlockYou are assigned to one presenter. Your job is to watch their presentation carefully against the project's specific criteria, then deliver written and verbal feedback that is specific, honest, and growth-referenced. You are not a cheerleader. You are not a critic. You are a rigorous observer whose job is to help this person become a better presenter. That requires you to tell them what they actually need to hear — not what feels comfortable to say.
- Obtain the project criteria for your assigned presenter's project from the Facilitator
- Read the criteria — know exactly what this project is trying to develop
- Familiarize yourself with the 8 evaluation dimensions in the Sharp Deck rubric
- Bring the written evaluation form to the session
- If possible, ask the presenter what specific feedback they're hoping to get
- Take detailed notes — specific moments, exact phrases, timestamps if helpful
- Score each of the 8 dimensions on the written form as the presentation unfolds
- Note at least one specific thing that worked and at least one specific thing to improve
- Begin completing the written form during the 15–20 second pause after the presentation ends
- Structure: What worked → What to improve → The single most important thing to focus on next
- Be specific: "Your opening grabbed attention" is weak. "Your opening worked because you opened with a question that none of us could answer immediately — it created tension" is useful.
- Anchor every observation to a moment: "At about the three-minute mark, when you…"
- One actionable, specific improvement per evaluation — not five. Prioritize the one that will move them furthest.
- Address the presenter directly, not the room
"[Name], your strongest moment was [specific moment] — it worked because [reason grounded in the criteria]. Where I'd push you to focus next is [specific dimension]. Here's what I observed: [concrete example]. If you work on one thing before your next presentation, make it [single actionable focus]. I've captured all of this on the written form."
An evaluation with no specific area for improvement is incomplete. Every presenter — regardless of how strong their delivery was — has something to work on. If you cannot identify it, you were not watching carefully enough. The General Evaluator will flag this.
- Reference the project criteria directly in your feedback
- Compare this presentation to the presenter's previous work if you've evaluated them before
- Give your written notes to the presenter after the session
- Be honest even when the presenter is more senior than you
- Open with "That was great!" — you haven't said anything yet
- Give five areas for improvement — prioritize one
- Make it personal — evaluate the presentation, not the person
- Use the sandwich method as a formula — it reads as formulaic
General Evaluator
Evaluates the session itself · Level 4 unlockThe General Evaluator oversees and evaluates everything that happens in the session — not just the presentations, but the quality of the evaluations, the effectiveness of the Session Chair, the Warm-Up Moderator, the Timekeeper, and the Clarity Monitor. You report at the end of the evaluation segment. This is the most demanding meeting role outside of the Facilitator, and it is a genuine leadership practice opportunity.
- Evaluations: Were they specific? Did each evaluator identify a concrete improvement area? Did they reference the project criteria?
- Session Chair: Did they control time? Were introductions prepared? Did the session flow without awkward gaps?
- Warm-Up Moderator: Were questions professionally relevant? Did members get enough time? Did the round achieve its purpose?
- Timekeeper: Were signals given correctly? Was the report clear?
- Clarity Monitor: Was the report specific and useful, not embarrassing?
- Overall session: What was the single most important thing this group should carry forward?
- Call on each role-holder for their report in order: Timekeeper → Clarity Monitor → individual Evaluators
- After reports, give your own session-level observations — what worked, what to improve
- Address weak evaluations directly but constructively: "I'd push [Evaluator] to be more specific next time about the mechanism — not just that it worked, but why."
- Close with one sentence: the single most important learning from this session
- Take notes throughout the entire session — not just during presentations
- Evaluate evaluators with the same standard you'd apply to presenters
- Name specific moments when calling out what worked or didn't
- Keep your own delivery crisp — you are also being watched
- Skip evaluating the evaluators — that's half the job
- Pile on a presenter who already received strong critique
- Use this role as a platform for your own opinions on presenting
- Run over 5 minutes — you should be the tightest speaker in the room
Timekeeper
Every presenter's accountability · Level 1 unlockYou time every timed segment in the session and provide signals to presenters at prescribed intervals. At the end of the session, you deliver a brief report of each presenter's actual time against their allotted time. This is not a passive administrative task — it enforces one of the most important professional skills: respecting the time of an audience. A presenter who runs over is a presenter who is not yet in control of their material.
- Confirm time limits for each presenter with the Session Chair or Facilitator
- Set up your timing device — phone stopwatch, dedicated timer, or the club's timing lights if available
- Prepare signal cards or a visible signal method (green/yellow/red or equivalent)
- Know the warning intervals: typically green at the minimum time, yellow at target time, red at maximum time
| Signal | Meaning | When to Give It |
|---|---|---|
| 🟢 Green | Minimum time reached — you may conclude | At the project's minimum time |
| 🟡 Yellow | Target time — you should be concluding | At the project's target time |
| 🔴 Red | Maximum time — you are over | At the project's maximum time |
"Thank you. Here are the times for today's presentations: [Presenter 1] delivered [Project Name] in [X minutes Y seconds] — within the [min–max] window. [Presenter 2] delivered [Project Name] in [X minutes Y seconds] — [within range / X seconds over / X seconds under]. All times have been logged."
Clarity Monitor
Filler words · Hedging · Jargon · Level 1 unlockThe Clarity Monitor tracks three categories of language that weaken professional presentations: filler words (um, uh, er, like, you know), hedging language (kind of, sort of, I think maybe, probably, I guess), and undefined jargon (technical or organizational terms used without defining them for the audience). You report at the end of the session. The purpose is not embarrassment — it is awareness. Presenters cannot fix what they cannot hear.
- Um, uh, er
- Like (used non-comparatively)
- You know, right, so (as sentence starters)
- Basically, literally (used habitually)
- Kind of, sort of
- I think maybe, I guess
- Probably, possibly (when certainty is warranted)
- "I'm not sure if this is right, but…"
Keep it brief and factual. This is data, not judgment.
"Thank you. A few observations from today. [Presenter 1] used 'um' 7 times and 'you know' 4 times — most of them during transitions between points, which is a common pattern worth noting. [Presenter 2] used several hedging phrases — 'I think maybe' appeared 3 times — which slightly undercut the authority of a strong presentation. [Presenter 3] used the term '[jargon term]' without defining it. Anyone unfamiliar with that term would have lost the thread at that moment."
- Track all speakers — including the Session Chair and Warm-Up Moderator
- Note patterns, not just counts ("most fillers occurred during transitions")
- Be factual and unemotional in your report
- Include where in the presentation the pattern occurred, if notable
- Make it feel like a gotcha — this is developmental data
- Over-report minor instances; focus on patterns
- Interrupt or signal during presentations — observe only
- Apply different standards to junior vs. senior members
Warm-Up Moderator
Impromptu round · Gets everyone speaking · Level 2 unlockYou run the 10-minute impromptu warm-up round at the start of the session. Every attendee gets a question and has 60 seconds to answer it. The goal is to get everyone speaking early, practice structured first sentences, and build the mental habit of entering an answer confidently rather than stalling. Your questions must be professionally relevant — they should force a real position or opinion, not a factual recall.
- Prepare 6–8 questions — more than you need, in case of a large cohort or extra time
- Each question should require a position, recommendation, or opinion — not a factual answer
- Calibrate to the room: questions should be relevant to the professional contexts of your cohort
- Vary the type: some situational, some analytical, some about craft
| Weak Question | Why It's Weak | Better Version |
|---|---|---|
| "What's your favorite presentation you've ever seen?" | Recall question. No position required. | "What's one thing most presenters get wrong that you try to avoid?" |
| "Tell us about your weekend." | No professional relevance. Pure filler. | "Your executive asks you to cut your 20-minute presentation to 5 minutes with 2 hours notice. What's your process?" |
| "What do you think of slides?" | Too vague. No pressure to commit. | "Slides or no slides — which do you find harder to pull off well, and why?" |
- Introduce the round briefly — one sentence on what it's for and what you're evaluating (first sentence clarity)
- Call on members in order around the room — no volunteers, no skipping
- Give each member exactly 60 seconds — the Timekeeper signals at 45 seconds and 60 seconds
- After the round, give a 30-second observation: what pattern did you notice in how people entered their answers?
Only one thing: the quality of the first sentence. Did they open with a clear, committed statement? Or did they stall, hedge, or re-state the question? That's the only feedback to give in your observation at the end.
Session Scribe
Captures the learning · Level 1 unlockThe Session Scribe captures the key feedback themes from the session and distributes a one-page written summary to all members within 24 hours. You are not a transcriptionist — you are a synthesizer. The summary should capture what mattered: the two or three most important themes that emerged across all presentations and evaluations, not a blow-by-blow record of every comment made.
- The session's theme or focus (from the Session Chair's opening)
- Each presenter's name, project, and the single most important feedback they received
- Any patterns that appeared across multiple presentations (e.g., "Three of four presenters struggled with transitions")
- The Craft Focus topic and key takeaway
- The General Evaluator's closing observation
- Any specific technique or resource mentioned that the group should follow up on
Keep it to one page. Members should be able to read it in under three minutes. Format suggestion:
- Session number and date
- Presenters this session — name, project, one-line feedback summary
- Pattern of the session — what theme emerged across presentations?
- Craft Focus — topic and key takeaway
- One thing to work on — the General Evaluator's closing line
- Send within 24 hours — delay kills relevance
- Synthesize themes, not transcribe comments
- Keep it to one page — if it's longer, you're transcribing
- Use direct language — this is not a meeting minutes document
- Attribute specific critical feedback to individuals by name in the written summary
- Include everything — your job is editorial, not archival
- Let the summary become a positive highlight reel
- Miss the 24-hour window — send it incomplete rather than not at all
Full Session Runbook
90-minute standard session · Step by stepThis runbook is written primarily for the Session Chair but is useful for all roles. Each step notes which role is responsible. Print or bookmark this before your first session as Chair.