What makes а good meeting?

Preparation – a checklist

Successful meetings require good planning. The following is a checklist of entail planning items to consider:

Time and place	When and where is the meeting? Timing – how long will it last?
People	Who will attend? Who sill chair?
Roles	Do participants have special responsibilities? Will people have time to prepare input?
Purpose	What is the objective of the meeting? What is the agenda?
Type of meeting	Purpose of meeting: briefing? brainstorming?
Facilities	Do we have a room with equipment? What about refreshments, car parking, etc?
Communication	What documentation is required? Who will prepare and circulate it?

Execution – a checklist

Meetings consist of a chairperson and participants. Both have specific responsibilities to guarantee that a meeting is effective. A combination of language and general communication skills is essential.

Effective chairing

… → Welcomes → Outlines agenda and objectives, states procedure and roles → Agrees timing →Invites opinions → Checks and clarifies → Creates positive atmosphere → Limits digression → Keeps on track → Encourages people to speak →Builds to decision → Watches time → Reaches objectives → Summarizes → Closes and thanks

Effective participating

..resents opinions → Listens to others → Proposes ideas, asks questions → Works efficiently → Takes turns → Respects other views → Concentrates → Agrees → Disagrees politely →Builds to decisions → Understands the result

1. Meetings: key terms

The process

Before the meeting takes place, it is important to invite participants to propose items or points for the agenda. Drawing up the agenda is usually the responsibility of the secretary or the chair. When the chair opens the meeting, it is usual to run through the agenda quickly. The first item is usually Matters Arising, to allow participants to go through the minutes of the previous meeting. After this, the discussion of the other points can begin. During the discussion, participants make recommendations and proposals in order to solve problems. If the meeting is scheduled for a whole day, it is typical to take breaks and to adjourn for lunch. Of course, it is necessary to resume [start again] after lunch. In the middle of the afternoon, participants often ask for a time out if they are feeling tired. At the end of the meeting, the last or next-to-last point is often AOB (Any Other Business) which gives participants the opportunity to raise other issues not included in the main agenda. During the meeting someone is nominated to take the minutes and after the meeting this person will write up the minutes for circulation to the other participants before the next meeting. Finally, the chair will close the meeting.

Note:

A chair = chairperson – chairman – charwoman

To chair a meeting

Meeting:

• Brainstorming

• Formal

• Board

• Informal

• Project

• Briefing

• Troubleshooting

• Team

Agenda:

• Topics

• Items

• Subjects

• Matters

• Points

Communication: verbs and nouns

To discuss A discussion

To propose A proposal

To decide A decision

To brainstorm A brainstorming

To recommend A recommendation

To summarize A summary

Arrangements: verbs + ‘a meeting’

To organise

To fix

To rearrange

To reschedule

To cancel

Arranging a meeting

A: Can we fix a meeting to discuss the budget?

B: Of course.

A: Can you manage Tuesday next week?

B: Yes, I can make Tuesday.

A: Shall we say 2 o’clock?

B: That would be fine.

A: We can hold the meeting in Room 26.

B: OK. Great.

A: I’ll confirm this by e-mail.

B: OK, see you on Tuesday at 2.

A: I look forward to seeing you.