When to use a Meeting and what sort’.

When should Organisations use a Meeting. (5)*

What type of Meeting should a Group use – Formal, Informal, or Semi Formal? (6)

The Role of a Chairman

How Should a Chairperson Act? (2)

Reducing the Frustration of Time Wasting of Meetings

Some Ideas for Reducing the Frustration of Meetings which take too Long to Achieve Objectives. (3)

Some Suggestions to Reduce the Problem: Meetings Waste Time of Some Members. (6)

The Role of Sub-Committees

Should Sub-Committes present a Unanimous Face? (4)

Some Ideas For Improving Meetings

Introduction. (7)

Pre-Meeting Ideas

Encourage Movers of Written Motions to include the reason for the motion in any written material they submit. (1)**

Encourage all Report Writers to set out Recommendations as a separate paragraph. Introduce each Recommendation with the word “Recommendation” and underline the recommendation. (1)

Prepare a standard layout for reports – or, at least, some aspects of reports. (1)

Encourage all Report Writers to number all paragraphs in reports. (1)

Train Members to vary their initial responses to a motion according to whether they favour of oppose a motion (2)

* The numbers in brackets show the number of pages in each Section.

** The numbers in the brackets following refer to the identification number used at the top right hand corner of each separate section.

Meeting Procedures – Major

Encourage each Meeting Participant to accept praise and/or blame for the successes/failures of meeting items and processes. (1)

Check all motions for clarity. (1) Avoid combining motions. (1)

Distinguish situations where spending meeting time would prove of little use. (1)

Train Meeting Members to answer questions from the Chairperson and other Members. (1)

Recognise situations where the argument between Meeting Members rates as a matter of opinion. Try to convince members that they have reached such a situation & that no-one can really gain agreement in such a situation. Train Members to recognise this situation and the use of this principle. (1)

Train all Members to appreciate, and use, straw votes. (1)

Look for situations/motions where Meeting Members probably agree. Take a straw vote – fairly early in the discussion ­to check the Group’s thinking on the topic that the Chairperson suspects will have Group agreement. Suggest to the Group that if no-one speaks you will put the motion ­provided the straw vote indicates a high degree of agreement. (1)

Ensure that all Members appreciate the distinction the meeting makes between accepting and adopting a report. (1)

Record all deferred topics under “matters arising”: on the agenda for the next meeting. (1)

Watch for the needs of new Members. (1)

Some Guidelines to help Meeting Members frame better the Structural Aspects of a Motion. (3)

Meeting Procedures – Minor

Stop passing motions which cover the receipts of reports and/or correspondence. (1)

Stop anyone reading out aloud a report already circulated in writing. (1)

Encourage Meeting Members to ask the recording Secretary to read motions before voting. (1)

Provide a display board (blackboard or whiteboard) for use of Meeting Members. (1)

Train Meeting Members to consider the needs of recording Secretaries. (1)

Recording Meeting

Stop recording who moves and seconds motions. (1) Stop recording titles and Christian names. (1)

Provide a column in the minutes to record the person(s) or committee(s) etc. who have to implement the actions recorded in the minutes opposite their names(s). (1)

Number all paragraphs in reports and minutes. (1)

Approaches to Recording What Happens at Meetings/ Conferences. (2)

Post Meeting Activities

Prepare a suitable procedure for ensuring that all relevant parties know on what matters (passed at meetings) they should take action. (1)

Exercise

Improvement of Meetings – Questionnaire (4)

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