1. MEETINGS
Reference:
Pinner, D, 1998, Communication Skills, Addison Wesley Longman New Zealand Limited, pp

2. MEETINGS

3. Introduction Forum for a group or team
Efficient way to pool individual expertise, experience, knowledge &
ideas
Collective energy generated - foster creative ideas & solutions to problems that individuals can not find alone.

4. Reasons to meet Convey & share information
To reach a consensus (agreement)
To build a group

5. Advantages Creates opp. to pool ideas & info
Provides human face to the org.
Outcomes can be creative and helpful
Builds morale, commitment & sense
of belonging
Enhances individual’s acceptance & commitment to tasks
Provides opportunities to co-operate and co-ordinate

6. Disadvantages
Meetings are not needed for simple tasks that can be done through s, telephones or memos
Can be time wasting and expensive
Sometimes increases pressure towards fixed group thinking
Some people let others do all the work at meetings
Conforming to CLIQUES

7. Good Meetings
Create a safe and comfortable environment for asking questions and sharing information
Do more than convey information
View participants as sharing responsibility and decision making
Share ideas which are developed/extended by the group
Establish positive attitude toward change
Reinforce relationships and channels of communication

8. Help establish commitment to the proposed actions/solution
Increase feelings of belongings to the organization and of the team working together towards a common goal

9. Bad Meetings
Treat questions as interruptions or attempts to side-track the meeting
Only present information which could have been better sent in another form
Are controlled by people with power who make all the decisions
Reinforce some people’s feelings that they ‘own ‘ ideas and don’t want to change

10. Stress negative feelings towards change
Create a climate of distrust between sections of the organization
Leave participants uncommitted and unsupportive of planned changes
Increase feelings of not being valued or having anything to contribute to the organisation

11. Alternatives to meetings
Memo
Letter
Fax
Telephone call
Video conferencing

12. Preparing for Meeting Decide what you want from the meeting
Set the date
Establish the size of the group
Determine who should be invited
Organize the place to meet
Write a notice of meeting
Set the agenda

13. Write a notice of meeting
Should include
Date and time of the meeting
Its purpose or topic
Who should attend
Where it will take place
A statement to invite participants to send items for the agenda

14. Agenda - Purpose structure thinking
make sure - all topics are discussed
ensure participants understand
-why meeting?
-what is expected of them
-what they need to prepare for the meeting
Provides an opp. for members to think through the issues & consider their contribution to the discussion.
Acts as a guide - provides a script for the chairperson to guide the meeting
Gives a focus of outcomes or measures of success.

15. Arrangement of the Agenda
1.Opening
2.Welcome
3.Apologies
4.Minutes of the previous meetings
5.Business arising of the minutes
6. New Business
7. General Business/Other Matters
8. Close

16. Duties of Office Bearers
Chairperson
Helps prepare agenda
Decides on order of business
Calls meeting in order
Signs and dates minutes of previous meeting
See debates conducted correctly
Answers questions
Ensures that a correct record of decisions – recorded
Announces date of next meeting
Closes the meeting

17. Secretary prepares agenda sends out meetings notices
takes accurate notes for the meeting
writes minutes
prepares inwards correspondence
ready for the meeting
writes letters – org.
keeps all official records

18. Treasurer collects money and deals with as instructed
keeps all financial records for the org
prepares audited statement of income & expenditure for the financial year

19. Minutes Written details of what took place at a meeting.
Includes the information shared, the decisions made and the action decided upon.
Purpose
Are a source of reference and authority
Help to avoid conflict and save time
Encourage accountability

20. Strategies for Writing Minutes
Use the same headings as on the agenda.
Record in the action column who agreed to do the task
Write in reported speech
Consistency –spacing & indenting
Check for accuracy
Send copies to all those invited
to the meeting