handout2 business class meetings
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Meetings
I NTRODUCT ION
1 Discuss the following questions.
1 What are the main reasons for holding a meeting?
2 What ISthe role of the chairperson?
3 Why are so many meetings unsuccessful?
2 Describe a meeting that you have attended recently. How effective was it
and why?
VOCABULARY
Complete the following sentences with appropriate words from the list.
agenda
apologies
casting vote
chairperson
consensus
Items
mmutes
ansing
CIrculate
conduct
1 In all formal meetmgs and most informal meetmgs, there ISa
Job It ISto the business of the meeting and to ensure that the
meeting s objectives are achieved
2 It IShelpful 10both formal and informal meetings to have an
the points that are to he discussed It ISusual to
that particrpants can prepare adequately for the meeting
3 If there are too many on the agenda, It ISinevitable that the meetrng
will be over-long and so less effective
4 After formal meetings, the secretary wntes up the
of the discussion that has taken place
5 If you cannot attend a meetmg, It IScustomary to send your to the
chairperson, who reads out the names of any absentees at the beginrung of the
meeting After nammg absentees, the chairperson may ask If there are any matters
out of the minutes of the last meetmg
6 When decisions must be taken, the chairperson hopes there will be a
on what should be done Otherwise, a vote must be taken and
sometimes the votes for and against are equal If this happens, the only way to break
the deadlock ISfor the chairperson to give his or her
whose
, hsting
this 10 advance so
, an official record
UNIT 12 MEETINGS 113
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Make meetingswork for you
1Do you dread meetings more than Mondaymornings? Do you find them boring,unproductiveand far too long?Meetings arecentral to most organisations;people need to5know what their colleagues are doing and
then take decisions based on sharedinformation and opinions. How well youpresent yourself and your ideas, and howwellyouworkwith other people, is crucial to
10your career.
RUNNING A MEETINGOnly call a meeting if you (and yourcolleagues) are quite clear about its purpose.Once you are certain of your objective,ask
15yourselfwhether it could be better achievedthrough alternativemeans, such as a memo.Meetings called on a routine basis tend tolose their point. It's better to wait until asituationor problem requires a meeting. If in
20 doubt,don't waste time havingone.
lf you're sure a meeting is the solution,circulate a memo several days in advancespecifying the time and place, objectives,issues to be discussed, other participants
25 and preparation expected. Meetings shouldbe held in the morning, if possible, whenpeople are usually more alert, and should
TEXT 1
Read the text and complete the following chart
last no more than an hour. Six is theoptimum number of participants for a good
30 working meeting. Inviting the wholedepartment (more than 10) increasesemotional undercurrents such as, 'Will my
suggestions be taken seriously?' Largermeetings can be productive as
35 brainstorming sessions for ideas, providedparticipants can speak freely without feelingthey willbe judged.A successful meeting alwaysleads to action.Decisions should take up the bulk of the
40 meeting minutes, including the name of theperson delegated to each task, and adeadline for its completion. Circulate theminutes after the meeting and again justbefore the next one.
45 Draw out quieter members of the group.Encouragement helps create a relaxed andproductive atmosphere. Do not single outany individualfor personal criticism - they
will either silently withdraw, upset and50 humiliated, or try to come up with excusesrather than focusing on the problems inhand. Save critical comments for a privateoccasion.Ifyou're talking for more than 50 per cent of
55 the time, you're dominating the meeting.
Preparation 15 the key to success
ATIENDING A MEETING
However informal the meeting, itpaysto prepare a fewkey points in noteto put across or discuss. If
60 unprepared, you will not beconcentrate on what your colleaguessaying and others are less likelyto listenyou because you willeither waffleorhesitant.
65 Don't memorise notes or read them outa sermon. This inhibites yourgestures: the eye contact and body ,....,!>ualS'.that is essential to effectivecommunicationH youcannotanswera question,don'tbe
70 to say, 'I don't know but I'll find out andback to you by .. .' (givea definitedate).Phrase your criticisms andpositively.Seek to offer solutions ratherto complain.
75 Arrive early and sit close to theto ensure that you aren't l);llVl<OU.
late, apologise and find a seatquietly. Don't try to sneak in as if
invisible.
DON'TsOs
© Cosmopolitan
chairperson 1 have a clear purpose
2 .
3 .
1 go on for more than an hour
2
3
4 ..
5
6
participants 1 .
2
34
1 .
2
3 sneak in if you're late
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L ISTE N ING 1
You are going to hear Roger
Myddleton, Legal Director and
Company Secretary at Grand
Metropolitan, talking about meetings.
listen and take notes under thefollowing headings.
• formal and informal meetings
• objectives
• chamng meetings
• mrxed-nauonahty meetings
• participating m meetings
• minutes
WR IT ING 1
Using information from Text 1 and Listening 1, draw up a set of guidelines
entitled 'How to hold a successful meeting'. Itmay help you to think in terms of
the following areas.
• objectives
• the role of participants
• the role of the chairperson
• adrrurustratrve consrderations
L ISTE N ING 2
The informal discussion you are going to hear takes place in an advertising
agency and concerns Charles Drake, a copywriter who is to be made redundant.
Frank Harrison, Account Director, Derek jordan, Creative Director, and Jennifer
Walton, Personnel Director, are meeting to decide when, where and how heshould be told the news. Listen and note what they decide and why.
W RIT ING 2
Use your notes from Listening 2 to write the minutes of the meeting between
Frank Harrison, Derek jordan and Jennifer Walton.
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116
LA NGU AGE P RA CT IC E
Match each item on the left with the correct description on the right. Then use
each phrase once only to complete the excerpts from Listening 2. When you
have flnlshed, listen again and check your answers.
I'm afraid I don't agree with you.
Could IJust come in here. . ?
In other words ...
Iabsolutely agree.
Ithink. .
Let's recap
How about .?
What do you think .. ."What we've got to do ...
We ought to move on.
making a suggestion
reformulatmg
moving to a new POInt
giving an opiruon
setting objectives
asking for an opnuon
interrupting
disagreeingsummansing
agreeing
Let's get started then 1
Charlie should go
jennifer: Well, I think It's usually useful to break this kind of news midweek, rather than doingIt on a Fnday afternoon
Frank: IS,er, diSCUSSow Derek's intervrew with
Frank: Certainly, 2
jennifer: There should be a package we offer him, and qurte a few details to sort out
Frank: Yes certamly Erm, I think 3 now, so the next question IS,erm, youknow, how are we gOingto do It, and where? 4 , Jennifer?
Derek: Ihaven't really thought this through, but, erm, Imean, I It
might be better to do It outside the office In a sense
jennifer: It needs to he you In your managenal role, not you Inyour role
as a personal fnend I certainly think It should be done, er, somewhere in theoffice, and preferably Inhis office rather than Inyours
Frank: Well,7 a lunch, Derek, m a quie t pub or restaurant?
Derek: So, the in-between thmg, It's a working lunch It's work, but It's not In the office Itcould be a compromise, yes
jennifer: Well, s please? I tend to think It might be better Ifyou did do It m
the office
Frank: I mean, Jenmfer, you've had a lot of expenence of this How do people react when
theyjennifer: People tend to be rather shocked, they tend to be angry, but rather bnefly, and they
do tend to
Derek: , they're not able to formulatean Immediateand rational response
Frank: Give him the background
Derek: Yes, I mean but bnefly, you're saying that I should get to the point and say 'youknow, Charlie, It has been decided that, basically, you are being made redundant, and
the normal terms and conditions of our contract Willapply
Frank: Ok, so ]()
telling Charles
Yes
And that you'll do It, er, inside the company, and you'll do It probably In your offu.eRight?
I think we're agreed, Derek, that you Willactually be
Derek:
Frank:
UNIT 12 MEETING'i
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Some usefullanguage for participating in meetings
Giving an opinion
(strong) I'm convinced we should
use an agent.
I'm sure the Japanese
market has big potential.
I have no doubt the new
factory will make life a lot
easier.
(neutral) I think we need a bigger
sales force.
As I see it, we must build
up our middle
management.
In my opinion, we should
offera bonus.(tentative) It seems to me we should
try to diversify.
I tend to think our designs
are old-fashioned.
Ifeel our competitors are
more market-orientated.
Agreeing
(strong) I totally agree.
I agree entirely with Peter.
I quite agree.I couldn't agree more.
Absolutelyl/Preciselyt/
Exactlyl
(neutral) I agree with you.
I think you're right.
That's true.
(tentative) Mmm, maybe you Oreright.
Perhaps.
I tend to agree.
I suppose so.
Checking comprehension/re-
formulating
To put that another way, .
If I follow you correctly, .
So what you Oreaying is .
Does that mean ... ?
Are you saying. .. ?
Expressing reservations
You have a point, but ...I agree to some extent, but .
I suppose you're right, but .
Maybe that's true, but ...
Disagreeing
(strong) I don't agree with you at
all.
I totally disagree.
You're quite wrong about
that.
It's out of the question.
Of course not.
Rubbisbl/Nonsensel/No wayl
(neutral) I don't really think so.
I can't see that, I'm afraid.
I'm afraid I can't agree
with you there.
(tentative) Mmm, I'm not sure.
I tend to disagree.
Do you really think so?
Is that such a good idea?
Making a suggestion
(neutral) I suggest (that) we buy
from the French supplier.
I would suggest
strengthening our
management team.
My suggestion would be
to spend more on R&D.
(tentative) We could sell the business.
Perhaps we should make
a takeover bid.
It might be worth setting
up a joint venture.
What about appointing a
new agent?
Why don't we borrow some
more money?
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C R O S S - C U L T U R A L
PITFALLS OF INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS
1M o re th an six ye ars a go th e U S fu tu ris t
Jo hn N aisb itt w ro te : ' ... th e m ore te ch -
n olo gy in th is so cie ty , th e m ore pe oplew an t to ge t to ge th er.' B ut e ve n h e co uld
5n o t h av e e nv is ag ed th e d ramati c g row th
in th e n umb er o f in te rn atio na l m e etin gs
o ve r th e p as t fe w y ea rs .
Unique w ith all these m eetings,
w hich range in size from a few to m ore1 0h an a th ou san d, is th at m an y o fth e p ar-
ticipan ts leave their cult u ret 0
me e tin an 0 th e r. U nfo rtu na te ly,
what is not un ique is that m any o f the
m e etin gs fa il to a cc omp lis h th eir o bje c-1 5t iv es to a v er y h ig h d eg re e.
T he purposes of these m eetin gs are
v ari ed , ra ng in g from e xc ha ng in g in fo r-
m ation to rew arding perfo r-
ma n ce a nd c re ati ng o pp or tu n i-2 °ti es f or p ro fe ss io n al d ev el op -
m ent. O ften, as in the case o fIBM E uro pe an d o th er co mp a-
n ies, th e m eetin gs are stag edto in tro du ce n ew p ro du cts a nd
25m ake a sales pitch to to p cu s-
tom ers. IBM tries to get its
t op c us tome rs aw ay f rom th ei r
n o rma l b u si ne ss e n vi ro nmen t
and gather them in a locatio n30that creates an atm osph ere
t ha t 'p u ts t hem in t he r ig h t f r ame
o f m ind and then allow s us todo som e high level seIling '.
During the past year, I35 ha ve atten de d a n um ber o f i n-
ternational m eetings and w itnessed
firs t-h an d serio us ad min istra tiv e an d
pla nn in g pro blem s, all o f w hich u nde r-
m in ed th e c ha nc es o f s uc ce ss .40 A classic bungle was the arrival of
pa rtic ipa nts' m ateria l th ree da ys a fte r
o ne m e etin g e nd ed . In a no th er c as e, th e
audio visual equipm ent required by a
p re se nte r w as d eliv ere d a s th e m e etin g4 5w a s e nd in g. A t y et a no th er me eti ng , th e
au dio v isu al e qu ipm en t w as th e w ro ngfo rm at, a nd th e pre sen te r w as u na ble to
s how h is v id eo ta pe s.
I nte rn ati on al me et in g o rg an iz er s a re
5 0so me tim es gu ilty o f e ve n th e m ost fu n-d am e nta l b lu nd ers. F or e xample , a t o ne
118
m ee tin g, po rk w as th e o nly m eat se rve d
to the m any M oslem s attending. A t ath ree-day sem inar, staged by an
55 Am eric an co mp an y, th e a bse nc e o f a ny
sch eduled so cial activ ities drew com -
p la in ts from th e m a ny E uro pe an p artic i-
pants .C om pa ny ga th erin gs o fte n sh ow th e
60 m ost serio us sh ortcom in gs. O ne very
'p ro ce ss ' o rie nta te d m e eti ng re fle cte d
th e co rpo rate cu ltu re. It encouraged
sm all gro up discussion s an d gro up re-
p orts . M a ny o f th e p artic ip an ts w an te d,65 an d w ere expecting , m ore fo rm al pre-
s en ta ti o ns by s eni o r ex ecu ti ve s .In te rn atio na l m e eti ng s c an b e c os tly
to s ta ge , e sp ec ia lly i f t he y a re p oo rly o r-
ga nize d an d fail to a ch ie ve th e de sired
7 0 resu lts . T o h ave a ny c han ce o f su cc ess,
the fo rem ost issue to consider is the
pu rpo se o f t he m ee tin g. O nly w he n th at
h as b ee n c le ar ly a rti cu la te d c an o rg an iz -
e rs b eg in to pla n th e m ee tin g a nd de te r-
75 m i ne w he th er it h as b ee n a su cc ess.
A t i nte rn ati on al me eti ng s w ith p ar ti c-
ipan ts from m any differen t cultures,
unique issues are bound to arise. For
e xa mp le , th e tim in g o f m e als a nd th e se-8 0 le ctio n o f t he m e nu , th e lis tin g o f n am e s
a nd title s, th e u se a nd la ngu age o f b usi-
n es s c ar ds , th e n ec es si ty o f i nte rp re te rs
o r translators and getting m ateria lsth rough custom s are all factors that
85m ust b e taken in to accou nt by th e orga
nizers .
I t's e sp ec ia ll y impo rta nt t o a ll ow p a r -
ti ci pa nts w ho t ra ve l l on g d is ta nc es suff i -
c ie nt tim e to r es t, p hy si ca ll y a nd mental90 ly , b efo re th e m e etin g b eg in s. O ne la rg e
US -ba sed o rg ani za ti o n i gno re s t hi s com-
pletely, expecting travellers from
E uro pe a fte r a n in e-h ou r-p lu s fligh t to
atte nd a fo ur-h ou r m ee tin g th e d ay th ey95arrive. The fo llow ing day , m eetings
are scheduled to begin at 8 a.m
and continue until 10 p .m . Most
E uro pe an p artic ip an ts a re e xh au ste d b y
the dem anding regime and find that1 00th ey b en efit o nly m arg in ally fro m th e
meet ings .
A m in i-c he ck list fo r a ny in -
ternational m eeting shou ld
b egin w ith efforts to iden tify1 05 th e n ati on ali tie s o f p ote ntia l
participants and m ake provi-
sio ns th at c ate r to th eir speo-fi e cu l tu ra l needs.
W a rn in gs to a vo id n atio na l110 te reo ty p es , c o nde s cendi ng a t-
titudes and above all jokes,
which are easily m isunder-
stood, are am ong the tips
g iv en to o rg an ize rs a nd s pe ak -1 15e rs a t in te rn atio na l m e etin gs
by D r Ernest D ich ter, a m oti-
v atio na l p sy ch ol og is t. H e s ug -
g es ts th at h on ou re d a tte nd ee s
sho uld b e w elco med and th at,1 20w he n a pp ro pria te , d efe re nc e s ho uld b e
sh ow n to partic ipan ts b ecau se o f theirh igh- rank ing pos it ions .
Speakers m aking presen tations in
E nglish at an in ternatio nal m eeting in125a country w here it is not the national
lan gu ag e, sh ou ld ta ilo r th eir p re se nta-
tion so that it w ill be understood I
b y th e e ntire a ud ie nc e. T he re a re im p or-
ta nt c on si de ra ti on s fo r p ers on s respon- I
1 30sib le fo r th e in tro du ctio n o f sp ea kers
For exam ple, perso nal info rm ation or
th e sh arin g o f i nsigh ts a bo ut o ne 's fa rm -
ly life, which is common in North
Americ a, is n ot a pp ro pria te in E uro pe o r13 5As ia.
© International Management
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TE XT 2
1 Before you read the article on the opposite page, think about the title and
try to predict some of the 'pitfalls' the writer will mention. Then quickly
scan the article to see how accurate your predictions were.
2 Read the article and note the key points under the following headings:
• recent trends in international meetings
• reasons for holding international meetings
• typical problems at International meetings
• avoiding the pitfalls of international meetings
D ISCUSS ION
What advice could you give an international
conference organiser about the specific
cultural needs of business people from your
country and any other countries you know
well? Work in small groups and outline yourrecommendations on paper.
SK IL LS P R AC TIC E
Until three years ago, Eastern Architects and Designers Ltd. (EAD)was a highly profitable
business with more work than it could comfortably handle. But then the property jnarket
collapsed and, like many architectural firms, EADfound itself struggling to survive.
EADboss, Barry Jones, had always been on excellent terms with the architects who
worked for him. A close-knit group, everyone at EADgot on well with everyone else.
They worked hard in the office - and socialised a great deal after work. However, Barry
was beginning to wonder how long the friendly atmosphere could last. Losses for two
years running meant EADcould no longer afford to keep everyone on - there simply
wasn't enough work to go round. He had to get rid of some of his staff to survive The
question was which of his architects should be made redundant? And how could he say
to them, 'Thanks very much, but goodbye.'?
Barry thought about the problem and identified four possible approaches to reaching a
fair decision:
1 Last in - first out (LIFO): those architects with the shortest periods of service In
the company should go first.
2 Voluntary redundancy: a generous severance package would be offered to
anyone willing to take early retirement.
3 Selection on merit: Barry would decide which employees were least useful to
the company and make them redundant.
4 Peer selection: the employees would meet to decide which of them should leave.
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Role-play: Meeting
1 Work in groups of between five and eleven. One of you plays the role of
Barry Jones, chairing the meeting to discuss which of the four approaches
- or a combination of these - should be chosen. Each of the other group
members plays the role of one of the architects described in the role cards
on pages 146-147.
Discuss which role each person will play and prepare carefully for the
meeting by reading the role card and thinking about your situation. Barry
Jones should read all the other group members' role cards.
2 Now hold a second meeting using the approach(es) selected to decide
which architects should be made redundant. For groups of four to six, two
should leave; for groups of seven or eight, three should go; and for groups
of nine or ten, four should leave.
120 UNIT 12 MEETINGS