Effective Business Meetings: Roles, Documentation, and Technology

1. Communications for Business Lecture 8: Business Meetings

2. Learning Objectives • Understand the role and purpose of meetings • Appreciate the different roles of members of meetings • Understand how to document a meeting • Understand the pros and cons of technology enabled meetings

3. Introduction • Meetings are used extensively in business • Meetings are an opportunity to share ideas and give and receive information • But they need good record keeping …

4. Formal Meetings • Informal discussion is okay – but there is often no record of what has been said • Formal meetings are “ritualistic” – but the rules are intended to make things run smoothly

5. Types of Formal Meetings • Staff meetings • Management team meetings • Inter-departmental meetings • Board meetings • Committee meeting • Plus lots of others …

6. Membership – 1 • Important to make sure the right people are invited to the meeting – need a membership “list” • The record of the meeting (Minutes) records attendees and absenteeism • If you are unable to attend a meeting you should send your “Apologies” in advance to the “Secretary” (person who is responsible for the paperwork associated with the meeting)

7. Membership – 2 • The “Chair” is the person who controls the meeting • Role is to ensure the meeting runs smoothly • Ensures everyone gets a chance to speak • Keeps the discussion on track • Handles conflict • Ensures all agenda items are covered correctly and in sequence

8. Agenda • People need to know in advance what the meeting will be about • What points will be covered, etc.? • The agenda lists the time and place of the meeting • It also lists the items to be discussed and the order in which they are to be discussed • The Chair is normally responsible for putting together the agenda

9. Agenda - Example • Nutrition Society Meeting • St Enoch Square • Glasgow • May 21 2010: 13.00 – 14.00 • AGENDA • Welcome • Apologies • Minutes of previous meeting (approval & corrections) • Matters arising from previous minutes • Revised rules for Scottish Section (see attached documents) • Newsletter in Gazette • Any other business • Date & time of next meeting Adapted from : http://www.nutritionsociety.org/documents/AGM2007Agenda.doc

10. Papers • Papers are used to support a meeting’s discussion • Where the agenda item is complex or important, supporting papers may need to be created and distributed in advance of the meeting • The aim is to help the meeting run smoothly, more quickly and give members as much information as possible in advance

11. Preparation • Members need to prepare in advance of the meeting • Read the agenda – know where to go and when • Understand what is to be discussed • Read any supporting papers in advance of the meeting • Be prepared!

12. Discussion In Meetings – 1 • The Chair is responsible for the progress of the meeting • Members need to signal to the chair if they wish to speak • Language used and the “style” varies from meeting to meeting – depends on the degree of formality

13. Discussion In Meetings – 2 • Basics of talking and listening apply in all meetings • Avoid emotions and make sure everyone gets to air their views • Be open-minded and prepared to change your point of view if a good counter-argument is raised • Be professional!

14. Minutes of Meetings – 1 • In addition to logging who is present and absent, minutes include: • Basic reasons for a decision • Actions agreed on • Responsibility for actions

15. Minutes of Meetings – 2 • Minutes are circulated to members soon after the meeting has concluded • Inaccuracies and omissions can be made and approved at the next meeting (this is normally a standing agenda item) • Thus minutes are an agreed record of decisions • Hence minutes are important documents for organisations

16. Class Activity • Work in groups of about 5 • Why is it important to send an ‘agenda’ out in advance of a meeting? … and why is it important to keep ‘minutes’ of the meeting? • 10 minutes • Feedback to the class • 5 minutes

17. Technology Enabled Meetings – 1 • When work groups are geographically dispersed it may not be possible to meet “in person” • “Virtual” meetings are becoming more popular and more common • This is nothing new – the telephone is over 100 years old!

18. Technology Enabled Meetings – 2 • Sometimes several members can meet together and only one or two are “virtual” • For larger meetings where everyone is “virtual” good ground rules are needed • How to ensure everyone gets a chance to speak – and people only speak one at a time!

19. Technology Enabled Meetings – 3 • Instant messaging (SMS) is an easy way to communicate quickly – but is generally only used for one-to-one meetings • Web conferencing is becoming more popular • For example “GoToMeeting” in the UK – see http://www.gotomeeting.co.uk/fec/global/web_conferencing?c_name=google&c_mark=online_meetings&c_prod=g2m/sf/701000000005L6u/

20. Technology Enabled Meetings – 4 • Skype is another popular method of communicating over the web, see: http://www.skype.com/intl/en-gb/features/allfeatures/skype-to-skype-calls/ • Again – mainly used for one-to-one meetings • Can be just voice, or voice and video

21. Technology Enabled Meetings – Advantages • Organisations are able to have meetings easily between branches that are geographically dispersed • May be cheaper than conventional meetings - organisations save on travel and hotel costs • Meetings can be organised at short notice (perhaps!) • Meetings do not require large rooms or dedicated furniture, e.g. “The Boardroom”

22. Technology Enabled Meetings – Disadvantages – 1 • Participants require suitable hardware, software and Internet access • Poor technology or inadequate training using the technology will undermine its success • Suitable facilities are needed: cameras, microphones, monitors, computer keyboard, mouse, etc.

23. Technology Enabled Meetings – Disadvantages – 2 • Moving from in-person meetings to web meetings must be well managed, it is a big “culture” change • Web meetings are not suitable for all types of meeting: • Human contact plays an important role in relationship building with other people and should not be underestimated • Sometimes there is no substitute for face-to-face contact

24. Technology Enabled Meetings – Disadvantages – 3 • Different time-zones can cause problems when trying to arrange an online meeting with a colleague across the globe • Different cultures have different attitudes towards how meetings should be organised and run • How many more issues can you think of … ?

25. Class Activity • Work in groups of about 5 • “Electronic mediated meetings will never fully replace the need to meet in person.” Agree, or disagree? Justify your answer. • 10 minutes • Feedback to the class • 5 minutes

26. Conclusions • Formal meetings are a vital “tool” for organisations – they create a permanent record of what was discussed and agreed • Meetings need good organisation, effective management and excellent record keeping • Electronic mediated meetings are becoming more popular • BUT sometimes only a face-to-face meeting will do…

27. References • Payne & Whittaker “Developing Essential Study Skills”, 2nd Edition, FT Prentice Hall, ISBN: 978-1405840873 • Cottrell “The Study Skills Handbook”, 3rd Edition, Pallgrave Macmillan, ISBN: 978-0230573055 • Price & Maier “Effective Study Skills: Essential Skills for Academic and Career Success”, Prentice Hall, ISBN: 978-1405840736 • Cameron “The Business Students Handbook: Skills for Study and Employment”, 5th Edition, FT Prentice Hall, ISBN: 978-0273730712

28. Lecture 8 – Business Meetings Any Questions?