7.1 Introduction to Meetings

Role of Meetings Providing dialogues between members, allowing exchange of information, views and opinions Generating ideas or solutions to problems Monitoring and evaluating performances or progress Making policy and other decisions

Should this happen?

Organization of Meetings Meetings don’t just happen! They have to be organized!

Organization of Meetings Before planning- what will happen? At meeting- what is the conduct of business? After meeting- how do you wrap up the meeting? What are the issues and discussions?

Preparing for Meetings

Preparation of Meetings Have to be planned well Efficient undertaking is essential whether its for the AGM or local government committee meeting Preparation of an agenda- content/structure Uses staff time and effort Necessity of a meeting should be carefully analyzed before calling for a meeting

Conducting Business

Conduct of business Considered as structured discussion Governed by rules of procedure, some are written standing orders Important roles- chairperson, committee secretary or clerk Chairperson controls the meeting-sets tone and style of meeting, controls flow Secretary-effective administration, application of rules of business, carry out agenda preparation and writing minutes, take notes etc

Work After Meeting 2 areas namely preparation of record for meeting and ensure decision made at meeting are implemented Formal minutes- record all happenings, statement of who has to take what action Needs to be circulated to relevant people Meetings exist to facilitate the execution of work

Full Staff/Workers Meeting Types of Meeting Meeting of individual Group Meetings Committee Meetings Full Staff/Workers Meeting Unplanned meetings

Lack of privacy and control Unplanned meetings Advantages; Speed Directness Informality The human touch Disadvantages; Lack of time Lack of preparation Lack of privacy and control Striking at wrong time

Role of Chairman

What is the role of a Chairman?

What is the Role of a Secretary?

Class Activity Try this activity . . . if you are trying to get people to look at something from a different perspective. With your right arm point straight up to the sky. Look up at your hand and imagine it is the rotor of a helicopter. As you are looking up at your hand begin turning your hand and arm in a clockwise direction. Continuing turning your arm as your helicopter is landing. Begin to bring your arm and hand down as you continue rotate in a clockwise direction until your hand is below your waist. Look at your hand. Are you still rotating your arm and hand in a clockwise direction?

Different Perspectives If you did this correctly, your hand started rotating in a clockwise direction and ended in a counter clock wise direction. What changed? Only one thing . . . your perspective. Sometimes we need to change out perspective to get a fresh look at a situation. Maybe it is getting up from your desk and going around to the other side. It could be to drive a different way home from work. Or maybe just to have something different to eat for breakfast. If we change our perspective we'll be amazed at how differently we will see things in our life.

Discussion Get into groups and conduct a mock meeting, choose a chairman and a secretary and the rest will be attendees of the meeting. Discuss on the Latest car launch as the main topic of your meeting.

Group Discussion Discuss interesting ways of conducting a meeting in regards to ice-breaking sessions to start off and to maintain audience’s attention throughout the meeting