Suggest what you think are the characteristics of a successful meeting

2. Listen to the recording of Paul Beck, an engineer, talking about the characteristics of successful business meetings. He makes five of the eight points below. Identify the correct order of these points.

There is a written agenda.

Clear objectives – known to everyone.

Respect for the time available/ time planning

Good chair – effective control.

Emotions are kept under control.

Good preparation.

Everyone gets to say what they need to say.

Reaching objectives.

Structure

Meetings generally follow a more or less similar structure and can be divided into the following parts:

I - Introductions

Opening the Meeting

Welcoming and Introducing Participants

Stating the Principal Objectives of a Meeting

Giving Apologies for Someone Who is absent

II - Reviewing Past Business

Reading the Minutes (notes) of the Last Meeting

Dealing with Recent Developments

III - Beginning the Meeting

Introducing the Agenda

Allocating Roles (secretary, participants)

Agreeing on the Ground Rules for the Meeting (contributions, timing, decision-making, etc.)

IV - Discussing Items

Introducing the First Item on the Agenda

Closing an Item

Next Item

Giving Control to the Next Participant

V - Finishing the Meeting

Summarizing

Finishing Up

Suggesting and Agreeing on Time, Date and Place for the Next Meeting

Thanking Participants for Attending

Closing the Meeting

The Process

Read the following text describing the main points of the issue of meetings and match the highlighted words with the Ukrainian equivalents below.

Before the meeting (1) takes place, it is important to invite participants to propose (2) items or points for the agenda. (3) Drawing up the agenda is usually the responsibility of the secretary or the chair. When the chair opens the meeting, he(4) introduces the subject and (5) runs through the agenda quickly. The first item is usually (6) Matters Arising, to allow participants to go through the (7) minutes of the previous meeting. After this, the (8) discussion of the other points can begin. During the discussion, participants (9) make recommendations and (10) proposals in order to (11) solve problems. If the meeting (12) is scheduled for a whole day, it is typical to (13) take breaks and to (14) adjourn for lunch. Of course, it is necessary to (15) resume after lunch. In the middle of the afternoon, participants often ask for (16) atime outif they are feeling tired. At the end of the meeting, the last or next-to-last point is often (17)AOB(Any Other Business) which gives participants the opportunity to (18) raise other issues not included in the main agenda. During the meeting someone (19) is nominated to take the minutes and after the meeting this person will write up the minutes for (20) circulation to the other participants before the next meeting. It is a good idea to write (21) Action Notes which should accurately record what decisions were made and who agreed to do what and by when. Finally, the chair will close the meeting.

Chairing a meeting

Meetings consist of a chairperson and participants. Both have specific responsibilities to guarantee that a meeting is effective. A combination of language and general communication skills is essential.

What do you think the functions of the chairperson are during a meeting?

Listen to a recording of a meeting at Hilo Co., a small subsidiary of a multinational company. The meeting is to discuss the decline in profits. Listen once. Say which of the following are given as reasons for the fall.

Prices are too high. Yes/No

The company has wasted money on research and development.Yes/No

Sales are down. Yes/No

The sales budget is too low. Yes/No

No one likes the Sales Director. Yes/No

The products are old.Yes/No

Listen again, paying attention to the role of the chair in the discussion.