Presentation1

TAKING PART IN MEETINGS

English for Business I

STUDENTS:Dalibor ZafranicHelena PericMirijam SiposMirta BrajkovicSlavica ObradovicZeljko Kadlecek

Associate-degree College in Pozega

Mentor: Vesna Vulic

Pozega, 05th February, 2011.

Meetings are an effective way to get things done!

Properly run meetings save time, increase motivation, productivity, and solve problems.

Statistic for the effectiveness of spoken communication:

7% of meaning is in the words that are spoken38% of meaning is paralinguistic (the way that the words are said)55% of meaning is in facial expression and non-verbal signals

meetings are ...vital for management and communication;

create new ideas and initiatives;

diffuse conflict in a way that emails and memos cannot;

are effective because the written word only carries 7% of the true meaning and feeling

better than telephone conferences because only 38% of the meaning and feeling is carried in the way that things are said. The other 55% of the meaning and feeling is carried in facial expression and non-verbal signals.

That's why meetings are so useful.

Statistics from research by Dr. Albert Mehrabian.

reasons for holding meetings are ...

they will repay the cost many times over,there is still no substitute for physical face-to-face meetings,it is easier to manage teams and situations, and achieve objectives,is making people happier and more productive.

during the meeting participants are …

exchanging informationdiscussing ideasmaking decisionsreviewing progress

types of meetings …Brainstorming meetings are immensely powerful for team-building, creativity, decision-making and problem-solving.Workshop meetings combine training, development, team-building, communications, motivation and planning.The Sales meeting is heart of the selling process. At this stage of the selling process the salesperson will spend a considerable amount of time presenting the product.

techniques for running effective meetings are … Goal planning - A goal without a plan remains just a goal -

many people have visions, intentions, ideas, dreams which never happen, because they are not planned.Project management methods can help in the planning and managing of all sorts of tasks, especially complex activities.Presentations skills and public speaking skills are very useful in many aspects of work and life. Effective presentations and public speaking skills are important in business, sales and selling, training, teaching, lecturing and generally entertaining an audience.Problem solving and decision-making are important skills for business and life, they are closely linked, and each requires creativity in identifying and developing options.

Goal ▶ Effective meeting

Meetings which involve people and encourage participation and responsibility are more constructive than meetings in which the leader tells, instructs and makes all the decisions, which is not a particularly productive style of leadership.

Badly run meetings waste time, money, resources, and are worse than having no meetings at all.

The need to run effective meetings is more intense than ever in modern times, because of ever-increasing pressures on people's time, and the fact that people are rarely now based in the same location.

Virtual meeting vs. conventional meeting

New technology provides several alternatives to the conventional face-to-face meeting around a table, for example phone and video-conferencing, increasingly mobile and web-based.

These 'virtual meeting' methods save time and money, but are they efficient as face-to-face communication?

Problem is inability to transfer body language and facial expressions by phone communications.

It is important to choose meeting methods that are appropriate for the situation.

Virtual meeting vs. Conventional meeting

Physical face-to-face meetings are the most effective type of meetings for conveying feelings and meanings. Therefore it is not sensible or fair to hold a virtual (phone or video-conferencing) meeting about a very serious matter.

Understand that meaning and feelings can be lost or confused when people are not physically sitting in the same room as each other.

A meeting provides a special opportunity to achieve organizational outcomes, and also to help the attendees in a variety of ways, so approach all meetings keeping in mind these two different mutually supporting aims.

Factors affecting how best to run meetings

Choice of structure and style in running an effective meeting is hugely dependent on several factors:

the situation (circumstances, mood, atmosphere, background, etc.) the organizational context (the implications and needs of the business or project or organization) the team, or the meeting delegates (the needs and interests of those attending) you yourself (your own role, confidence, experience, your personal aims, etc.) your position and relationship with the team

and of course the aims of the meeting.

how best to run meetings

There will always be more than one aim, because aside from the obvious reason(s) for the meeting, all meetings bring with them the need and opportunity to care for and/or to develop people, as individuals and/or as a team.

When you run a meeting you are making demands on people's time and attention. When you run meeting you have an authority to do so, which you must use wisely.

meetings - basic rules

Here is a solid basic structure for most types of meetings. This assumes you have considered properly and decided that the meeting is necessary, and also that you have decided what sort of meeting to hold.

plan - use the agenda as a planning tool circulate the meeting agenda in advance

run the meeting - keep control, agree outcomes, actions and responsibilities, take notes write and circulate notes - especially actions and accountabilities follow up agreed actions and responsibilities

meeting purposes include…

Meetings come in all shapes and sizes, and for lots of purposes, meeting purposes include:

giving information training discussion (leading to an objective) generating ideas planning workshops



consulting and getting feedback finding solutions/solving problems crisis management performance reporting/assessment setting targets and objectives setting tasks and delegating



making decisions clarifying policy issues team building motivating special subjects - guest speakers inter-departmental - process improvement

POSTAD TVThe acronym POSTAD TV helps to remember how to plan effective meetings, and particularly how to construct the meeting agenda, and then notify the meeting delegates:

Priorities,

Outcomes,

Sequence,

Timings,

Attendees,

Date,

Time,

Venue.

meeting prioritiesAlways have a clear purpose; otherwise don't have a meeting. Decide the issues for inclusion in the meeting and their relative priority: importance and urgency - they are quite different and need treating in different ways.

meeting outcomes- Decision

- Discussion

- Information

- Planning (e.g. workshop session)

- Generating ideas

- Getting feedback

- Finding solutions

- Agreeing (targets, budgets, aims, etc.)

- Policy statement

- Team-building/motivation

meeting sequence

Put the less important issues at the top of the agenda, not the bottom. If you put them on the bottom you may never get to them because you'll tend to spend all the time on the big issues.

Ensure any urgent issues are placed up the agenda. Non-urgent items place down the agenda - if you are going to miss any you can more easily afford to miss these.

meeting timingsAllocate a realistic time slot for each item. Keep the timings realistic - usually things take longer than you think.

meeting attendeesConsider inviting representatives from other departments to your own department meetings - if relationships are not great they will often appreciate being asked, and it will help their understanding of your issues, and your understanding of theirs.

Having outside guests from internal and external suppliers helps build relationships and strengthen the chain of supply, and they can often also shed new light on difficult issues too.

meeting dateEnsure the date you choose causes minimum disruption for all concerned. It's increasingly difficult to gather people for meetings, particularly from different departments or organizations.

meeting timeTimes to start and finish depend on the type and duration of the meeting and the attendees' availability, but generally try to start early, or finish at the end of the working day.

meeting venueMany meetings are relatively informal, held in meeting rooms 'on-site' and do not warrant extensive planning of the venue as such.

On the other hand, big important meetings held off-site at unfamiliar venues very definitely require a lot of careful planning of the venue layout and facilities.

Plan the venue according to the situation - leave nothing to chance.

Ensure the layout is appropriate for the occasion:

Formal presentations to large groups - theatre-style - the audience in rows, preferably with tables, facing the chairman. Medium-sized participative meetings - horse-shoe (U) table layout with the open part of the U facing the chairman's table, or delegates' tables arranged 'cabaret' style. Small meetings for debate and discussion - board-room style - one rectangular table with chairman at one end. Relaxed team meetings for planning and creative sessions - lounge style, with easy chairs and coffee tables. Positioning of seating and tables is important, and for certain types of meetings it's crucial.

Appropriate layout

For common, informal meetings (departmental, sales teams, projects, ad-hoc issues, etc.), try to avoid the formality and concentrate on practicality.

For each item, explain the purpose, and if a decision is required, say so.

Plan coffee breaks and a lunch break if relevant, and ensure the caterers are informed.

Aside from these formal breaks you should allow natural 'comfort' breaks every 45-60 minutes, or people lose concentration and the meeting becomes less productive.

ConclusionWhen you hold a meeting you should find a venue where you will be free from interruptions.

The tables should be arranged so that all of the team members can communicate easily with each other.

You may need to be able to use a whiteboard to communicate ideas.

You may need a computer and an interactive board so that team members can demonstrate the software solutions that they have developed.

Thank you for your attention

Dalibor Zafranic

Helena Peric

Mirijam Sipos

Mirta Brajkovic

Slavica Obradovic

Zeljko Kladlecek

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