280 likes | 587 Views
BUSINESS MEETINGS. CONTENTS. Basic vocabulary Effective meetings Structure of meetings Useful language & downtoning Memo, agenda, minutes Roleplays. BASIC VOCABULARY. A MEETING VENUE CHAIRPERSON AGENDA ITEMS AOB MINUTES. COLLOCATIONS? RB, p. 5. EFFECTIVE MEETINGS.
E N D
CONTENTS • Basic vocabulary • Effective meetings • Structure of meetings • Useful language & downtoning • Memo, agenda, minutes • Roleplays
BASIC VOCABULARY • A MEETING • VENUE • CHAIRPERSON • AGENDA • ITEMS • AOB • MINUTES COLLOCATIONS? RB, p. 5
EFFECTIVE MEETINGS • What is the purpose of your meeting? • How do you prepare the agenda? • Who should attend the meeting? • How much time is available for each item? • How could the meeting be kept on track? • What is the outcome of the meeting? Who is responsible for what?
MEETINGS THAT PEOPLE ENJOY* • meeting as part of a three-step process 1) PREPARE 2)RUN 3) FOLLOW-UP Make notes: • purpose of the meeting • reasons for (not) meeting • ‘cast’ your meetings • action agenda * http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1QWPTYTCyo
SIX SECRETS OF EFFECTIVE MEETINGS* • DON’T • SET • PROVIDE • ALLOCATE /KEEP • START/END • CAPTURE * http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSft2OeMmzQ
THE STRUCTURE OF MEETINGS Typical language Let’s get started, shall we? Thank you all for coming! Have you all got a copy of the agenda? The purpose of today’s meeting is … The first item on the agenda is … I’d like to finish by 5.
What do you think about that, Joe? Frankly, I don’t think we should back the project. I don’t agree with you … What exactly do you mean? Excuse me, if I may remind you of … Why don’t we…? Let’s see a show of hands. All those in favour?
So, we’ve agreed that… To sum up… I think we’ve covered everything. Handout + RB p. 6, 7
VIEWING • http://australianetwork.com/businessenglish/stories/ep04.htm • HANDOUT
DOWNTONING • making your point firmly but politely • softening your points by avoiding aggressive, uncompromising and confrontational language “You must reduce the price or else…” RB p.8
DOWNTONE: • We won’t give you a discount. • You must finish the report! • Your prices are way too high. • These figures are false! • He is not available. • We can’t deliver the goods in two weeks. • I can’t agree and that’s it. • You must sign the contract today! • So, we’ll find another buyer! • We’ll sue you!
MEMO, AGENDA, MINUTES Which document… • outlines the items that need to be discussed? • contains the highlights, points of agreement, decisions and action points? • gives information? Sample documents: RB 9, 10, 11
BUSINESS MEETING ROLE-PLAYS AS COLLABORATIVE LEARNING • peer interaction maximizes students’ own and each other’s learning experience structured on the principles of “positive interdependence” and “individual accountability” (Johnson, Johnson, Smith, 2007) • How can you overcome problems encountered in thepreparation of presentations in BE1? • How is team spirit created?
BUSINESS MEETING ROLE-PLAYS • Teacherinput & practise in class • Group formation (dates) • Selectingthetopic (office hours) GROUP MEETING 1 1. Reading the case study 2. Assigning roles 3. Organizing the structure / Writing the script / Writing the text for each role
GROUP MEETING 2 • Rehearsal • Fine-tuning and coordinating roles GROUP MEETING 3 • Mainrehearsal THE ROLE-PLAY • 15 minutes • agenda, minutes, additional material (?) • even distribution of speaking time • group feedback/individual feedback
MEETINGS ARE A MATTER OF PRECIOUS TIME RB p. 12 • reasons for unproductive meetings • suggestions for effective meetings What does the author say about the following? opportunity costs a perishable good objectives diffusion of responsibility set a definite ending time assign credit or blame an agenda pre-meeting prep tasks handouts