Lecture 9:Lecture 9:Conducting Interactive Meetings Conducting Interactive Meetings

and Writing Minutesand Writing Minutes

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Conducting Interactive Meetings Conducting Interactive Meetings and Writing Minutesand Writing Minutes

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

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

IV. Resolving conflict Possible outcome Win-win assumptions

V. Writing Minutes of Meeting Elements Producing minutes Example

VI. Strategies to Improve Your Listening Effectiveness

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Steps in Planning a MeetingSteps in Planning a Meeting

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

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Steps in Planning a Meeting Steps in Planning a Meeting (cont’d)(cont’d)

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.

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Steps in Planning a Meeting Steps in Planning a Meeting (cont’d)(cont’d)

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

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Setting the AgendaSetting the Agenda

Elements of the Agenda1.To : Involved personnel

2.From : Chairperson

3.Date : Date of the meeting

4.Subject: Brief description of the meeting

5. Issues to be discussed

6.Person responsible for any designated issues

7.Designated time line

8.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

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Participating in MeetingsParticipating in Meetings

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

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Participating in Meetings (cont’d)Participating in Meetings (cont’d)

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

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Participating in Meetings (cont’d)Participating in Meetings (cont’d)

THE SECRETARY Beforehand:

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

etc Booking venue

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Participating in Meetings (cont’d)Participating in Meetings (cont’d)

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

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Participating in Meetings (cont’d)Participating in Meetings (cont’d)

THE PARTICIPANTS Beforehand:

Reading the agenda and any other pre-meeting documentation

Preparing for the meeting Confirming availability Being punctual to the meeting

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Participating in Meetings (cont’d)Participating in Meetings (cont’d)

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

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Resolving ConflictResolving 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 MeetingsWriting Minutes of Meetings

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

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Writing Minutes of Meetings Writing Minutes of Meetings (cont’d)(cont’d)

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.

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Writing Minutes of Meetings Writing Minutes of Meetings (cont’d)(cont’d)

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

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Writing Minutes of Meetings Writing Minutes of Meetings (cont’d)(cont’d)

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)

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Strategies to Improve Your Strategies to Improve Your Listening EffectivenessListening Effectiveness

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

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Strategies to Improve Your Strategies to Improve Your Listening Effectiveness (cont’d)Listening Effectiveness (cont’d)

Before the Lecture

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

Strategies to strengthen your academic listening skills

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Strategies to Improve Your Strategies to Improve Your Listening Effectiveness (cont’d)Listening Effectiveness (cont’d)

During the Lecture

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

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Strategies to Improve Your Strategies to Improve Your Listening Effectiveness (cont’d)Listening Effectiveness (cont’d)

After the Lecture

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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~ The End ~