1. Chairing with Charisma
Sally Bridgeland
Younger Members’ Convention
29 November 2004

2. Agenda What can go wrong? Role of the chairman Preparation
Keeping to the agenda
Facilitating decisions
Group work
Review
Closing remarks

3. Symptoms of poor chairmanship
Is your life filled with long boring meetings?
Do you often wonder why you are there?
Do you feel that nothing really happens and it’s just one big talk shop?

4. Chairman can influence
What can go wrong?
Wrong agenda
Wrong issues
Wrong attendees
Wrong venue
Wrong format
Wrong timing
Wrong length
Wrong chairman
Surprises
Chairman can influence
all of these

5. Role of the chairman Set agenda Keep to agenda
Let people have their say
But not off agenda
Make sure decisions made
Make sure actions clear
Who, what and when
Chairman needs to be ruthless, charismatic or both

6. Preparation
Why you are having the meeting and what do you expect to get out of it? Decisions or discussions?
How long will it take if everyone is well prepared? And if they are not?
Who needs to be there? Can another attendee represent their interests to keep numbers down?
What venue and format would suit them?
What background do they need to bring them up to speed? Is this the same for everyone? What format?
What does the agenda look like?

7. Keeping to the agenda The balancing act BUT
Encourage and manage group discussion to obtain all ideas and to ensure that participants feel that their attendance has been worthwhile
BUT
Keep conversations focused on the topic to ensure they do not become unproductive

8. Tips “Park” issues and solve outside the meeting
Step in and make an “executive” decision
If the original purpose, objectives and agenda are no longer appropriate
close the meeting or
amend the meeting’s purpose, objectives and agenda and continue
but only if the participants remain appropriate

9. Facilitating decisions
What do you think the decision should be?
Beware of dominance risk and framing
Types - what are others likely to think?
What and who do they know?
What’s their current position?
What and who will influence their decision?
Tactics - how will you get critical mass?
What do you need to do before, during and after the meeting?
Who can help you?

10. Tactics for different types
Allies
Waiverers
Zealots
Mutineers
Strength of support
Opponents
Moaners
Passives
Strength of opposition

11. Group work Pick a contentious issue, eg Which tactics would you use?
Merge the Faculty and Institute
Use market valuations in compulsory valuations
Which tactics would you use?
What do you need to do
before
during and
after the meeting?
Who can help you?

12. Review Did your meeting PASS the test? Purpose Agenda Structure
Have a purpose with clear objectives?
Agenda
Have an agenda and papers distributed in advance so attendees could prepare?
Structure
Run to time and follow the structure of the agenda?
Specific actions
Result in clear decisions and specific action points?

13. Are you sitting comfortably?
Closing remarks
80% preparation
20% charisma
Be yourself
Know your audience
If you’re not the chairman
Crypto chairman
Check understanding
Clarify action points
Check which agenda item you are on
Are you sitting comfortably?

14. Further reading
“Maverick” by Ricardo Semler