How important is it for a company to have regular meetings? Why? reaching decisions and consensus; information is available to more people; different and unexpected ideas can be contributed; meetings can lead to more imaginative and informed decisions Drawbacks: more time is required;more talk (sometimes is irrelevant and repetitive) there’s more group pressure Unit 3 At a meeting

Teaching Objectives After completing this lesson, students should be able to: ---understand and use vocabulary related to meetings; ---identify and understand basic aspects of planning a meeting; ---effectively use communication skills to; chair a meeting; ask for and give opinions; agree and disagree with an idea; make suggestions.

Part Ⅱ Listening Practice Task 1 Here are 9 different tasks for business meeting. First complete the tasks with what you hear. Then decide in which row task belongs and fill out the chart. (1)Distribute the ___________ of action points. (2)Distribute the ___________ of a meeting. (3)Circulate the ____________ of a meeting. (4)Make a ___________________. (5)_________________ information and feedback. (6)Decide on the ___________________ of a meeting. (7)_______________ the minutes of a meeting. (8)______________ seating. (9)______________ participants and confirm attendance. Before the meeting During a meeting After a meeting list agenda minutes decision Collect topic Write Arrange Invite (2) (6) (8) (9) (4) (5) (7) (1) (3)

Task 2 1.You will hear some business people talking at meetings about things that can go wrong. Complete the sentences and tick the three items that you consider the worst. (1)Sometimes the participants don’t know the ___________ of the meeting. (2)People often start to ________ and then they get angry with each other. (3)Lots of meetings I go to have no ________________________. (4)What often happens is that the _______________ just rushes through the agenda, in order to finish the meeting on time. (5) Well, often some members are ______ so we have to sit there ________ until everyone arrives so that the meeting can get started. (6) The meeting finishes late because __________ time is allowed for discussion. (7) Yes, but not all the items on the agenda are _________________. (8) I’ve been to so many meetings that ended without any _____________ being made. (9) No one is asked to _______________ and keep the minutes of the meeting. (10) The chairperson doesn’t control the _________ and everyone talks at once. purpose argue written agenda chair person latewaiting too much dealt with decision take notes discussion

2. Having meetings with people from other countries can be very difficult, if you don’t understand the way they think. You will hear an experienced businessmen giving his impressions about different culture groups. Take notes when you listen and then decide whether the statements are true (T) or false (F). _____ (1) Trust is the most important thing for Koreans. _____ (2) If you speak their language, your Japanese clients will be pleased. _____ (3) French businessmen seldom offer any opinions unless they are sure about what they want to say. _____ (4) British people will keep silent when there is a business problem. _____ (5) French people will offer you a business opportunity more quickly than the Spanish. T T F F T Korean say something amusing

Answer the following questions: 1. How many countries people are mentioned in the passage? 2. Please summarize what are the habits and customs of these countries people during a meeting? Korean, Japanese, British, French. Koreans: not concern about how well the meeting is, focus on the long-term relationships, seldom offer any opinions. Japanese: face is important, you’d better speak a little Japanese and adapt to their customs. British: say something amusing to improve the situation, but not work. French: changeable, enjoy arguing with you, but they will change their mind at the last moment if you don’t do the business satisfactorily.

Part Ⅲ Follow-up Practice _____ a. Preparing an agenda for the meeting. _____ b. Greeting people as they arrive for the meeting. _____ c. Calling the meeting to order. _____ d. Discussing the topics. _____ e. Talking with co-workers or the boss about the topics which need to be discussed and who should be included in the discussion and decision. _____ f. Calling people and inviting them to the meeting. _____ g. Closing the meeting. _____ h. Making decisions about the topics

2. Listen to two people planning a meeting and fill out the agenda. AAA SPORTS COMPANY Business Meeting Agenda Date: ______________ Location:_______________ Hours:_______ to 12:00 1.Introductions of staff and clients (General Manager) 2.History of __________________ (General Manager) 3.Presentation by _____________ Department 4.Presentation by _____________ Department 5.Questions/Answers 6.Adjournment December 1st :00 the company Design Sales

Part Ⅳ Video 1 Why are we here? New Words and Expressions: sales figure= sales turnover 营业额，销售额 drop: decline decrease descend lower slip fall drop away drop back drop by / in / over/ round drop off drop on drop out 散去 退后，撤退 顺便拜访 落下，睡着 偶然发现，吃惊 退出，离开，中止

Video 2 What can we do? New Words and Expressions: motivate (v.) motivation (n.) motivational (adj.) motivated (adj.) 激励 动机，诱因 激发性的 动机明确的 bonus /  / quota /  /

How does Larry chair the second meeting? Which meeting is more effective and productive? Why? The second meeting is more effective because they have the definite and clear purpose, they reach the decision to solve the problem. In the first meeting they don’t have the agenda and start to argue. And the chairperson doesn’t control and manage the meeting. Firstly, Larry declares the purpose of the meeting. Secondly, he asks the others opinions. Thirdly, he lets the staff discuss with each other, and they reach an agreement- lower the sales quotas for bonuses.

Sample Board of Directors Meeting Agenda (Name of Agency) Board Meeting Agenda (Month, Day, Year) (Location) (Planned Starting Time to Ending Time) ActivityAction Minutes from Previous MeetingApproval Chief Executive’s ReportDiscussion Finance Committee’s ReportApprove Budget Changes Development Committee’s ReportApprove Fund-raising Plan Board Development CommitteeApprove Plans for Retreat Adopt Resolution to Change Bylaws Other Business (old / new / announcements) Roundtable Evaluation of Meeting Review of Actions from Meeting Adjourn

Sample of the Minutes of a Management Meeting Name of Organization (Meeting Minutes: Month Day, Year) (Time and Location) Present: David Brown, Alex Lee, Tina Johnson, Anna Mr. Swanson Proceedings:  Tina: reported on overtime work.  Agreed: need to reduce amount of overtime work  Alex: raised recent staff cuts. People are missing deadlines.  David: absenteeism and lateness are problems in some plants. David to review absenteeism / lateness policies with plant managers.  Anna to work out realistic targets and propose deadlines to achieve them.  Other business: Tina announced that she had recently hired a new secretary, Karla Baldini.  Meeting adjourned at 11:00.  Minutes submitted by: Secretary, Betty Bergman.

DOSDON’TS Before the meeting Make sure that proper notice of the meaning has been given. Make sure that all the documents of the meeting are ready. Change the meeting time and place at will. Call a meeting without any idea what you are to achieve. At the beginning of the meeting Call people’s attention. Declare the meeting open. Invite introductions from participants. State what you hope to achieve, introduce the subject. Be late for the meeting without a proper reason. Greet your friends or acquaintances only. During the meeting Make sure the minutes agreed number of persons is present throughout the meeting. Know how to handle adeptly when dispute occur. See that matters are dealt with on the agenda. Give persons sufficient opportunity to speak. Stop people who talk much. Give all persons a reasonable opp. to vote. Be partial to one while neglecting the other. Turn a deaf ear to opposing ideas. Dominate the meeting all the time. Break the rules of the meeting. Go back/jump ahead the topics that had been discussed. Exert pressure on matters. State directly/clearly of your ideas. At the end of meeting Sum up what has been achieved. Declare the closure of the meeting. Withdraw early without any reason. After the meeting Sign to vouch for the correctness of the minutes of the meeting Leak any confidential news or information at the meeting.