BUSINESS ENGLISH LECTURE 11 1. Synopsis 2 Business Meetings, Planning- Execution and Minute Writing 1.Meeting: Essential Meeting elements 2.Questions

BUSINESS ENGLISHLECTURE 11

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Synopsis2

Business Meetings, Planning- Execution and Minute Writing

1. Meeting: Essential Meeting elements 2. Questions for planning a meeting 3. The need for agendas/ Sample 4. Pre-meeting tasks 5. During meeting tasks 6. Post-meeting tasks 7. Common Disruptive task 8. Dealing with Loudmouths 9. Preparing the minutes

Synopsis3

10. What to include in the minute 11. Taking minutes / guidelines –

sample

Writing minutes Effective reception / listening and

understanding barriers

BUSINESS MEETINGSPLANNING, EXECUTION, AND MINUTE WRITING

What is a Meeting?

Meeting

A scheduled gathering of group members for a structured

discussion guided by a designated chairperson

Essential Meeting Elements

Questions for Planning a Meeting

Why are we meeting?Who should attend the meeting?

When should we meet?Where should we meet?What materials do we need?

The Need for AgendasAgenda

The outline of items to be discussed and tasks to be accomplished

during a meeting

An agenda . . . is an organizational tool. helps members prepare for a meeting. is a time management tool. provides a measure of success.

A Business Meeting Agenda Purpose of

Meeting Names of Group

Members—present or absent

Date, Time, and Place

Call to Order Approval of the

Agenda

Approval of Previous Meeting’s Minutes

Individual and Committee Reports

Unfinished Business

New Business Announcements Adjournment

SampleDiscussion Agenda

Chairperson’s Pre-Meeting Tasks

Notify membersDistribute

materialsRemind membersPrepare for

discussion

Chairperson’s TasksDuring the Meeting

• Begin on time• Delegate minutes • Follow the agenda• Facilitate the

discussion• Provide closure

Chairperson’s Post-Meeting Tasks

• Evaluate the meeting • Distribute the

minutes• Monitor assigned

tasks

Common Disruptive Behaviors

Nonparticipants

Loudmouths Interrupters Whisperers Latecomers Early Leavers

Dealing with LoudmouthsHow to deal with

loudmouths: Acknowledge that you understand their

positions. Interrupt them and shift the focus to

other members. Tell them the group needs input from

everyone. Assign them side-line tasks (e.g., taking

minutes) that shift them from talking to listening and writing.

How to Deal with Disruptive Behavioral Problems

Nonparticipants: _______________________________________________________________________________________

Interrupters: ________________________________________________________________________________________

Whisperers: ________________________________________________________________________________________

Latecomers and Early Leavers: ________________________________________________________________________________________

Preparing the MinutesThe minutes of a meeting are . . . the written record of a group’s

discussion and activities. legal documents as well as historical

records of organization business. a way to share what happens with

members who don’t attend. a way to prevent disagreement over

member assignments and group decisions.

What to Include in the Minutes Name of the

group Date and place

of meeting Names of

attending members

Name of the chair

Names of absent members

Time the meeting was called to order

Time the meeting adjourned

Name of person preparing the minutes

Summary of discussion and decisions including action items

Taking Minutes Write clear statements that summarize

the meeting’s main ideas and actions. Word decisions, motions, action items,

and deadlines exactly as the group makes them.

If in doubt, ask the group for clarification.

Attach the agenda and any reports to the final copy of the minutes.

Guidelines for Taking Minutes Report the facts and all sides of a

discussion accurately. _________________________________ _________________________________ _________________________________ Always keep in mind that the

minutes are a public record of the meeting.

Sample ofInformalMinutes

WRITING MINUTES

Conducting Interactive Meetings and Writing Minutes

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I. Steps in Planning a Meeting

II. Setting the Agenda Elements Order of agenda items Example

III. Participating in Meetings The Chairperson The Secretary The Participants

Conducting Interactive Meetings and Writing Minutes (cont’d)24

IV. Resolving conflict Possible outcome Win-win assumptions

V. Writing Minutes of Meeting Elements Producing minutes Example

VI. Strategies to Improve Your Listening Effectiveness

Steps in Planning a Meeting

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1. Determining the purpose Information sharing Decision making

– Identifying issue / brainstorming– Persuasion and negotiation / discussion– Decision

Problem solving– Identifying solution(s) / brainstorming– Evaluating solution(s) / discussion– Choosing best solution(s) / decision

Steps in Planning a Meeting (cont’d)26

2. Selecting the participants Key contributors Decision makers

3. Setting the agenda Frames the structure of the meeting. Consists of a list of items to be discussed. Distributes meeting content in advance for

better contribution. Allows chairperson to keep the meeting

focused and achieve its purpose. Presents items in order they appear and the

limit allocated by the chairman.

Steps in Planning a Meeting (cont’d)27

4. Picking the convenient time and the location

Time of day– Morning versus afternoon

Venue– Comfort and convenience– Seating

5. Preparing notice of meeting

6. Sending out documents

7. Copying minutes of last meeting

Setting the Agenda28

Elements of the Agenda1. To : Involved personnel2. From : Chairperson3. Date : Date of the meeting4. Subject: Brief description of the

meeting5. Issues to be discussed6. Person responsible for any

designated issues7. Designated time line8. See Samples

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TO: All Members of StaffFROM: Joe Chan (Chairperson)DATE: 23 February 200-SUBJECT: Monthly Staff Meeting

A meeting of all members of staff will be held on Monday 3 March 2000 at 10 am in the conference room. It will last about one hour.1. Apologies for absence (JC)2. Minutes of the last meeting (JC)3. Matters arising (WW)4. Measures to be taken to cut running costs (SY)5. How the measures are to be implemented6. Any other business7. Date of the next meeting

Ms T TamSecretary to the chairperson

Distribution: Willie Wong Sanny YeungCharlie Wu Billy BunterSusie Wong Venus PongPeter Perks Joesph Tse

Source: Adapted from NLM

THE GRABBIT INSURANCE COMPANYAGENDA

Participating in Meetings30

The Chairperson Before the meeting During the meeting

The Secretary Before the meeting During the meeting After the meeting

The Participants Before the meeting During the meeting After the meeting

Participating in Meetings (cont’d)31

Each participant has a role to play in a meeting as follows:

THE CHAIRPERSON Beforehand:

Establishing purpose Deciding if a meeting is necessary Choosing participants Preparing agenda Circulating agenda etc. Checking arrangements

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Open the meeting: invite introductions if necessary; state the purpose of the meeting; present the agenda.

Move to first agenda item

During the meeting :

Invite someone to speak

Move to the next point

Bring others into the discussion

Interrupt / Control if necessary

Ask for repetition and clarification

Paraphrase (restate using own words) & Summarize (brief general statement)

Conclude the discussion: summarize the decisions/ points raised make sure tasks are delegated

Ask if there is any other business

End the meeting and fix the next meeting date

Source: Adapted from NLM


THE SECRETARY Beforehand:

Helping distribute the agenda to participants Checking physical arrangements Preparing stationery and necessary

documents etc Booking venue

Participating in Meetings (cont’d)

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During the meeting: Taking notes for the minutes Providing information to chairperson and

participants if needed

After the meeting: Writing up the minutes Checking accuracy of the minutes with the

chairperson Circulating the minutes to participants

before the next meeting


THE PARTICIPANTS Beforehand:

Reading the agenda and any other pre-meeting documentation

Preparing for the meeting Confirming availability Being punctual to the meeting

Participating in Meetings (cont’d)

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During the meeting: Making relevant and productive

contributions Asking for clarification if necessary Being prepared to justify opinions Being attentive and listening Being aware of your and others’ body

language

After the meeting: Following up with any action agreed during

the meeting

Resolving Conflict

Possible outcome Win-win assumptions

Win-lose Mutual satisfaction possible

Parties willing to cooperate

Parties can be trusted

Lose-lose

Win-win

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Writing Minutes of Meetings

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About minutes

1. Can be defined as a written record of the business transacted at a meeting.

2. May well have some legal and authoritative force.

3. Must summarize the major contributions to the discussion in such a way that each speaker’s interactions are recorded

4. Must be clear about what the speaker “meant”, not just what the individual “said”

5. The process of minutes writing is a process of interpretation, not just repetition

Writing Minutes of Meetings (cont’d)

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Check that the minutes

1. Provide a true, impartial and balance account of the proceedings;

2. Are written in clear, concise and unambiguous language;

3. Are concise and accurate;

4. Follow a method of presentation which helps the reader assimilated the content.

Writing Minutes of Meetings (cont’d)40

Elements to be included in a minutes:

1. Heading (including where and when the meeting was held)

2. Present (who was there)3. Apologies of Absence4. Minutes of the previous meeting (note any

corrections and state the minutes were accepted as a true record of the meeting [with the above corrections, where applicable])

5. Statements of what actually occurred at the meeting

6. Any Other Business (AOB)7. Who was the chairperson and who the

secretary8. The time the meeting adjourned and when the

next meeting is to take place

Writing Minutes of Meetings (cont’d)41

Types of minutes writing:

1. Narrative minutes [Click for example] A summary of the discussion leading up to a decision. Useful for meetings that a more detailed record of the

discussion is preferable.2. Resolution minutes [Click for example]

Actual resolutions are emphasized, but only give brief details of the discussion itself.

Opinions stated, conflicts among members and disagreements are treated off-record.

3. Action minutes [Click for example] Record the decision made on the issue and the action

(what) to be taken (by whom) and (when).

(See Supplementary Reading for examples)

Strategies to Improve Your Listening Effectiveness

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Second language listening problems Native speaker accents and pronunciation Speed: Perceived pace of native speaker delivery

Inability to predict because of unfamiliarity with- Concept / subject matter- Terminology- Cultural references

Sustaining concentration

LISTENING SKILLSMEETINGS

Strategies to Improve Your Listening Effectiveness (cont’d)

Before the Meeting

1. Prepare yourself mentally:

- Write down one thing you already know about the topic- Listen to confirm

2. Prepare the subject area - Reading in advance to establish a context

3. Predict what you will hear (outline format)

- Write down 2 or 3 questions related to the topic: 2-3 things: 1. You expect to find out 2. You would like to know 3. You didn’t understand from the reading

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Strategies to strengthen your academic/Professional listening skills


During the Meeting

1. Listen for key words - Don’t write down everything- Leave lots of white space on the page- Use a numbering system

2. Listen for organizational signposts

- First of all / next / a further point / finally- One… Two…- First… Second…

3. Listen for summaries and for repeats

- To sum up- In summary then

4. Wake - Mind drifting?

5. Link to what you know

- Write notes to yourself: 1. Examples 2. Comparisons 45


After the Meeting

1. Review - Read over your notes as SOON as you can after the lecture- Use hours between classes!

2. Transform - Manipulate the information in some way: 1. Chart 2. Diagram 3. Mind map

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MEETING EVALUATION

Post-Meeting Evaluation Was the meeting’s goal clear? Was the agenda useful and

followed? How prepared were group

members? Did everyone have an equal chance

to participate? Did members listen effectively and

consider different points of view? Were assignments and deadlines

made clear by the end of the meeting?

Additional Evaluation QuestionsWhat other evaluation questions would you add to those on the

previous slide?Example: Did the meeting begin and end on time? Example: ________________________Example: ________________________Example: ________________________

Writing Minutes of Meetings

Can be defined as a written record of the business transacted at a meeting.

May well have some legal and authoritative force.

Must summarize the major contributions to the discussion in such a way that each speaker’s interactions are recorded

Must be clear about what the speaker “meant”, not just what the individual “said”

The process of minutes writing is a process of interpretation, not just repetition

Format for Writing Minutes

Date and place listed Names of the participants All the main points are summarized and

numbered Avoid bias when recording items


Elements to be included in a minutes:

1. Heading (including where and when the meeting was held)

2. Present (who was there)3. Apologies of Absence4. Minutes of the previous meeting (note any corrections

and state the minutes were accepted as a true record of the meeting [with the above corrections, where applicable])

5. Statements of what actually occurred at the meeting6. Any Other Business (AOB)7. Who was the chairperson and who the secretary8. The time the meeting adjourned and when the next

meeting is to take place


Check that the minutes

1. Provide a true, impartial and balance account of the proceedings;

2. Are written in clear, concise and unambiguous language;

3. Are concise and accurate;

4. Follow a method of presentation which helps the reader assimilated the content.


Types of minutes writing:

Narrative minutes 1. A summary of the discussion leading up to a decision.

Useful for meetings that a more detailed record of the discussion preferable.

2. Resolution minutes 3. Actual resolutions are emphasized, but only give brief

details of the discussion itself.4. Opinions stated, conflicts among members and

disagreements are treated off-record.5. Action minutes 6. Record the decision made on the issue and the action

(what) to be taken (by whom) and (when).

Distribution of Meeting Minutes Send the minutes the next day Copy all relevant individuals Make sure the chair person approves the

minutes Update the status of issues Provide updated minutes to meeting

attendants prior to follow up meetings

BUSINESS ENGLISHLANGUAGE EXPANSION

PH 1- 5

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Which of these characteristics are the most important for a good salesperson?

•Really listens to the customer

•You feel you can trust him/her

•Can explain the USP of the product

•Good at making the customer believe in the product

•Knows a lot about their products

•Smiles all the time

•Has a smart appearance

•Gives the customer time to think

•Makes small talk

in…

fr…

k…

pres…

tr…

com…

pa…

per…

ch…

interested

friendly

knowledgeable

presentable

trustworthy

competent

patient

persuasive

chatty

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Which questions can you think of?

1 Which model?

2 Which make would you like?

3 How many doors would you like?

4 What about the engine?

5 What optional extras would you like?

6 Are you planning to travel long distances?

7 What about the colour?

LISTENING ACTIVITY

Listening Exercise Activity Answer discussion

Review61

Business Meetings, Planning- Execution and Minute Writing

1. Meeting: Essential Meeting elements 2. Questions for planning a meeting 3. The need for agendas/ Sample 4. Pre-meeting tasks 5. During meeting tasks 6. Post-meeting tasks 7. Common Disruptive task 8. Dealing with Loudmouths 9. Preparing the minutes

Review62

10. What to include in the minute 11. Taking minutes / guidelines –

sample

Writing minutes Effective reception / listening and

understanding barriers

Documents

BUSINESS ENGLISH LECTURE 11 1. Synopsis 2 Business Meetings, Planning- Execution and Minute Writing 1.Meeting: Essential Meeting elements 2.Questions