Meetings: communicating towards a successful outcome

Things to Consider before the Meeting

• Which kind of language gets your opinion across most effectively?

• Which kind of language will get you the best possible results?

Contributing Effectively

Do Don’t

• obey the ground rules• be positive• separate people from problems• keep to the topic

• monopolize the discussion• become emotional or too argumentative• make personal criticisms

Contributing EffectivelyDo Don’t

• use clear simple language• allow other to finish• ask for clarification if you don’t understand

• digress• use long complicated sentences• Interrupt too much• pretend you understand

Contributing Effectively

To be able to contribute effectively you need to:

• listen actively• observe others• be diplomatic• be positive

Contributing Effectively

To be able to contribute effectively you need :

• useful phrases for making your point• useful language for communicating towards a

successful outcome

Communicating towards a Successful Outcome

• Comment on others’ points• Say how important something is• Say how interesting something is• Say that something is surprising• Encourage other participants• Indicate lack of understanding• Use questions effectively• Promise action and state intention

Commenting on Others’ Points

When someone has expressed a point of view, make a comment on what has been said, if appropriate.

That’s an important point.

It’s only a minor point.

That’s a good point.

Saying How Important Something Is.

You can support others or back up your own arguments by emphasizing the importance of a point made.

It’s/That’s vital.

It’s/That’s crucial.

It’s/That’s imperative.

This is extremely important.

Saying How Interesting Something Is.

You can encourage others by showing interest.

It’s/That’s really interesting.

It’s/That’s extremely interesting.

What interests me about this is …

It’s/That’s very interesting because …

Encouraging Other Participants

If people remain silent and do not give opinions, ask them what they think. Silence can mean agreement or disagreement. You can help to move the meeting forward by encouraging others to speak and by giving others positive feedback.

Encouraging Other Participants

Do you agree with this, John?

I like your ideas about …

You present the case very well.

You’ve obviously looked into this thoroughly.

That was an excellent report.

Martin, what do you think about this?

Indicating Lack of Understanding

If you do not understand what someone else has said, you can use these phrases.

Could you say that again, please?

Sorry, I’m not quite sure what you mean by that.

Sorry?

Using Questions Effectively

Questions can help to move the meeting forward and help to clarify your understanding of others’ points of view. It is worth considering in advance the types of questions you might need to ask.

Do we all agree that …?

So are we all happy with that?

Using Questions Effectively

It’s also important to encourage discussion by asking open-ended questions

What do you think of this idea?

What are the implications of this for …?

Could you tell us something about …?

What are your views on …?

Using Questions Effectively

These questions can be used to gain information.

How big is this going to be?

What effect would that have?

Why is it important to do that?

Positive Questions

Be sure that you ask positive questions.

Don’t say:

Is it possible to achieve this?

Say:

How can we achieve this?

Using Questions Effectively

These questions can be used to ask for conformation.

So, what you’re saying is …?

Are you saying …?

Do you mean to say that …?

Using Questions Effectively

These questions can be used to close down a discussion.

Is this the course of action that your prefer?

Have we dealt with that point?

Is that agreed?

Promising Action and Stating Intension

Say what you intend to do as a result of the meeting by using these phrases.

I’ll …

I’ll do that if you like.

Questions?

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