hg 012 english for communication 4

7/27/2019 HG 012 English for Communication 4

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HG 012 English for Communication 4.ExternalReading 2, How to run corporate meetings

and planning meetings. Medzye Fah Drezoziar( AD)Running meetingsplanning and running effective meetings for business,

corporate, sales, managing, mediation, strategic planningand team-building., , ,

Meetings are vital for management communication. Properlyrun meetings save time, increase motivation, productivity,and solve problems. Meetings create new ideas andinitiatives. Meetings diffuse conflict in a way that emailsand memos cannot. Meetings are effective because the

written word only carries 7% of the true meaning andfeeling. Meetings are better than telephone conferencesbecause only 38% of the meaning and feeling is carried inthe way that things are said. The other 55% of themeaning and feeling is carried in facial expression and
http://www.facebook.com/medzye.drezoziarhttp://www.facebook.com/medzye.drezoziar


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non-verbal signals. That's why meetings are so useful.(Statistics from research by Dr.Albert Mehrabian)

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7% 38% 55%

( Dr.AlbertMehrabian)Brainstorming meetings are immensely powerful for team-building, creativity, decision-making and problem-solving.

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Meetings which involve people and encourage participationand responsibility are more constructive than meetings in

which the leader tells, instructs and makes all thedecisions, which is not a particularly productive style ofleadership.

, holding meetings is an increasingly expensive activity,hence the need to run meetings well. Badly run meetings

waste time, money, resources, and are worse than havingno meetings at all.

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The need to run effective meetings is more intense thanever in modern times, given ever-increasing pressures onpeople's time, and the fact that people are rarely nowbased in the same location, due to mobile working and


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progressively 'globalised' teams and organisationalstructures.

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New technology provides several alternatives to theconventional face-to-face meetings around a table, such asphone and video-conferencing, increasingly mobile andweb-based.

-, , -Accordingly, choose meeting methods that are appropriate

for the situation. Explore other options such as telephoneconferencing and video conferencing before deciding that aphysical meeting is required, and decide what sort ofmeeting is appropriate for the situation.


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Physical face-to-face meetings are the most effective type

of meetings for meetings for conveying feelings andmeanings. Therefore it is not sensible or fair to hold avirtual (phone or video-conferencing) meeting about a veryserious matter. Understand that meaning and feeling canbe lost or confused when people are not physically sitting

in the same room as each other. Trying to save time andmoney by holding virtualmeeting for serious matters is often a false economy forthe organisation, and can actually be very unfair to staff ifthe matter significantly affects their personal futures or well-

being.- (-)


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Meetings-basic ruleshere is a solid basic structure for most types of meetings.

1. plan-use the agenda as a planning tool2. circulate the meeting agenda in advance

3. run the meeting-keep control, agree outcomes, actionsand responsibilities, take note

4. write and circulate notes-especially actions andaccountabilities

5. follow up agreed actions and responsibilities

1. 2. 3. -


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4.

5. Meetings come in all shapes and sizes, and for lots ofpurposes such as:,

: giving information discussion (leading to an objective)

generating ideas

planning consulting and getting feedback

finding solutions/solving problems

making decisions

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Meeting prioritiesWhat is the meeting's purpose, or purposes?Always have aclear purpose; otherwise don't have a meeting. Decide the

issues for inclusion in the meeting and their relativepriority: importance and urgency. Important matters do notnecessarily need to be resolved quickly. Urgent mattersgenerally do not warrant a lot of discussion. Matters thatare both urgent and important are clearly serious priorities

that need careful planning and management. ; :


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Meeting outcomesDecide the type of outcome (i.e., what is the purpose) for

each issue, and put this on the agenda alongside theheading. This is important as people need to know what isexpected of them, and each item will be more productivewith a clear aim at the outset. Typical types of outcomesare:

() :

Decision Discussion

Information

Generating ideas

Getting feedback

Finding solutions


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

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Try to achieve a varied mix through the running order- ifpossible avoid putting heavy controversial items together-vary the agenda to create changes in pace and intensity.


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Also be mindful of the lull that generally affects peopleafter lunch, so try to avoid scheduling the most boring item

of the agenda at this time; instead after lunch get peopleparticipating and involved, whether speaking, presenting,debating or doing other active things.

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Meeting timing (of agenda items)Consider the time required for the various items. Allocate arealistic time slot for each item. Keep the timing realistic-usually things take longer than you think. -Put plenty of breaks into long meetings. Unless people areparticipating and fully involved, their concentration begins to


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drop after just 45 minutes. Breaks don't all need to be 20minutes for coffee and cigarettes. Five minutes every 45-50

minutes for a quick breath of fresh air and leg-stretch willhelp keep people attentive. 45 20

45-50 Meeting attendees

It's often obvious who should attend, but sometimes it isn't.Consider inviting representatives from other departments toyour own department meetings. It will help theirunderstanding of your issues, and your understanding oftheir.


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Avoid and resist senior managers and directors attendingyour meetings unless you can be sure that their presence

will be positive, and certainly not intimidating. Senior peopleare often quick to criticise and pressurise without knowingthe facts, which can damage team relationships, morale,motivation and trust.

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If you must have the boss at your meeting, tell your bosswhat you are trying to achieve at the meeting and how-this gives you more chance in controlling possibleinterference.


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Meeting dateEnsure the date you choose causes minimum disruption for

all concerned.For meetings that repeat on a regular basis the easiestway to set dates is to agree them in advance at the firstmeeting when everyone can commit there and then.Generally try to consult to get agreement of best meeting

dates for everyone, but ultimately you will often need to befirm. Use the 'inertia method', i.e., suggest a date andinvite alternative suggestions, rather than initially asking forsuggestions, which rarely achieves a quick agreement.

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Meeting time


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Time to start and finish depend on the type and durationof 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 meetingrooms 'on-site' and do not warrant extensive planning ofthe venue as such. On the other hand, big importantmeetings held off-site at unfamiliar venues very definitely

require a lot of careful planning of the venue layout andfacilities. Plan the venue according to the situation- leavenothing to chance.


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You must ensure that everything is right-all relevantequipment and services.

All of them can and will go wrong unless you check andconfirm- when you book the venue and then again a few

days before the meeting.

Finally, look after the venue's staff- you need them on yourside. Most business users treat hotel and conference staffdisdainfully- show them some respect and appreciation andthey will be more than helpful.

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