Good business practice

Laboratory work № 11.

Running a meeting

Managing time. Keeping to the point. Closing the meeting.

Managing time.

Good business practice

When running a meeting, it is useful to do the following:

Make sure participants are clear about the aims and objectives of the meeting.

Be aware of time management issues (e.g. try to ensure thatthe meeting starts and finishes on schedule and estimate the amount of time allocated to each agenda point).

Keep to the agenda and avoid unnecessary digressions.

Summarise the discussion and clarify any action points.

Cultural attitudes may affect the following aspects of presenting an argument:

Expectations about the role and function of the chairperson.

Attitudes to time (e.g. punctuality, digressions, fixed start and end times, etc.) and agendas (flexible, fixed or no agenda)

Style of the meeting (e.g. formal/informal; how much p participation is encouraged).

Task 1.

The management team at the Imperial Hotel is having a project meeting to discuss the opening of a new spa complex. The meeting is running late and the team still has three agenda points to discuss.

Read a part of the meeting and tick the topics that are discussed. What extra topic is mentioned at the meeting, but is not on the agenda?

Agenda

• Schedule for the opening

• Catering

• Interviewing staff

• Uniforms for spa staff

• Press release

Chairperson: OK, we're running out of time. Let's move on to the next point. Interviewing new staff for the spa. Steve, could you tell us how that's going?

Steve: Sure. We have most of the staff that we need. But we still have to employ a new receptionist.

Sylvie: Couldn't someone from the hotel work on reception?

Chairperson: That's a good idea. Steve, speak to the Personnel Manager and get back to me.

Steve: OK.

Chairperson: What about the uniforms?

Sylvie:Could we quickly talk about the opening party?

Chairperson: Not at the moment, Sylvie. I'll talk to you about it after the meeting, OK? Now Vanessa, what about the uniforms?

Vanessa: Oh yes, the uniforms... um, perhaps I should have brought one to show you all? Maybe I should call my PA and get her to bring one now?

Chairperson: Vanessa, we need to be quick, I'm afraid.

Vanessa: Oh, sorry. Yes, OK, well they all arrived yesterday and they look very smart.

Chairperson: Excellent. Sylvie, has the press release been sent out?

Sylvie:Not yet. Can I show you some changes that I made to it today?

Chairperson: We don't have much time. Can I just have a quick look?

Sylvie:Here you are. Turn to the last page.

Chairperson: Yes, that looks fine. Can you send it out this afternoon?

Sylvie:Certainly.

Chairperson: OK - it's time to finish. Thanks, everyone, I'll speak to you tomorrow.

Read again and tick the phrases that you hear.

1 We're running out of time. □

2 Could we quickly talk about... ? □

3 We must finish by three o'clock. □

4 We need to be quick. □

5 We don't have much time. □

6 OK - it's time to finish. □

Task 2.

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