CSS102

UNIT 4
 LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of this lesson, learners should be able to:

1. Define a meeting

2. Give the purposes and types of meetings

3. Explore the conduct of meetings

4. Explore the advantages and disadvantages of meetings

5. Distinguish between Procedures and Rules

 Purposes& Types of Meetings
• A meeting is a coming together of (generally) three or more
people to exchange information in a planned manner and discuss
issues set out before them to arrive at decisions, solve problems,
etc.
• Other sources define meetings as a gathering of two or more
people for a common discourse/ goal
• A meeting can be formal or informal. As regards a formal
meeting there is set rules for convening it and conducting it, with
a written record of its proceedings. It requires a notice which is a
call, an invitation to attend it.
• An informal meeting can be without any written notice, for
instance a staff union meeting in the lunch room to discuss a
picnic.
 TYPES OF MEETINGS
• Informative Meetings are about the sharing or broadcasting of
predetermined information. Examples include new product
launches, training seminars and stockholder meeting.
• Informative, where the purpose is to give information to the
participants about a new scheme, product, etc.
• Employers or managers use these meetings to share information
with their employees or team members. This could be information
about major company changes, new clients, upcoming events,
exciting products or services or anything else everyone should
know. With these kinds of meetings, attendees tend to watch and
listen while one person presents. There may be time at the end for
questions
• Consultative Meetings, in which the members are consulted to
solve a problem.
 TYPES OF MEETINGS
Executive, in which decisions are taken by those empowered to do
so.
• An executive session is a private meeting within an otherwise
open meeting, such as an organizational board meeting. Boards
may hold an executive session involving only board members to
discuss sensitive or private information.

• Depending on the organization or governmental body involved,

business that is conducted in executive session could include legal
issues, discussion on contracts (such as to purchase land, or offer
tax incentives to a corporation moving to an area), and personnel
issues (such as hiring and firing)
 PURPOSE OF MEETINGS
• To reach a common decision/agreement
• To solve a problem
• To understand a situation, exchange ideas and experiences
• To inform, explain, present ideas
• To give and get feedback on new ideas
• To give training
• To plan and prepare for action
• To resolve differences and misunderstandings
• To generate enthusiasm and seek cooperation
• To review past performance and evaluate it
• To create a feeling of continuity and solidarity in a body’s
working.
 ADVANTAGES OF MEETINGS
• Save time:
Since one can meet a number of people at a time interactively, a meeting can save time.

• Addressing groups:
One can divide the audiences according to their background and need, and address them group by
group.

• Cope with information explosion:

New technology and new regulations are coming thick and fast. Meetings enable us to cope with
this situation.

• Social and emotional support:

Members get personal support from each other when they meet and exchange ideas.

• Feeling of being consulted:

Members get the feeling that they have been consulted and this is useful in getting their intelligent
and willing cooperation.
 ADVANTAGES OF MEETINGS
• Democratic functioning:
Democracy aims at achieving all people’s welfare by all people’s involvement. This is possible
through meetings.
• Idea development:
Ideas are systematically cross-fertilized, analyzed and improved by a group.
• Bolder decisions:
Collectively we can take more adventurous decisions because of united strength.
• Various interest groups represented:
In a meeting many interest groups can be represented and minorities can also be given due
attention.
• Preventing mistakes:
A meeting helps to avoid mistakes by a collective and many-angled focus on issues.
 DISADVANTAGES OF MEETINGS
• Time-consuming:
Meetings require a number of people to come together at the same time and
place. This costs time because other work has to be set aside for the sake of
the meeting.

• Inability to arrive at a decision:

Just as “two heads are better than one,” it is also true that “too many cooks
spoil the soup.” Multiplicity of views and personal stubbornness of members
may prevent a meeting from taking a decision which a chief executive may
take alone.

• Lack of seriousness:
Many meetings suffer from the drawback that members come unprepared
and feel that the others will do the thinking and talking. They feel they can
take a free ride. “Everybody’s job is nobody’s job.”
 DISADVANTAGES OF MEETINGS
• Inexpert chairing:
Just as an airplane is steered by a pilot, a meeting is piloted by
the chairperson. His lack of skill and personal failings/biases may
fail a meeting.

• Expensive:
Meetings are expensive to arrange – they require a place,
paperwork, prior communication, and travelling by the attendees.

• Open to disruption:
A meeting is prone to being disrupted by an element that is
opposed to its objective. There are times when one passenger’s
refusal to adjust himself delays the entire flight. The same for
meetings. The spirit of give-and-take may be missing in some
participants.
 RULES, PROCEDURES & TERMS OF
REFERENCE
What are Procedures?
• Routine steps to carry out activities in an organization are known as
Procedures.

• They are established for repetitive activities.

• They describe the manner in which an activity is to be performed.

• Procedures are generally rigid and do not have any scope for
creativity.

• It removes ambiguity in work and makes the work structured and

unified.
 RULES, PROCEDURES & TERMS OF
REFERENCE
What are Rules?
•Specific statements that inform what must and must not be done are known
as Rules.
•They are formed to maintain, regulate and control the working
environment.
• They are rigid and do not allow flexibility. If rules are violated, then strict
disciplinary actions are taken.
•It reflects decisions that certain actions must and must not be taken.
•They are the simplest type of plan which do not require changes from time
to time.
 RULES, PROCEDURES & TERMS OF
REFERENCE
• Specific statements that inform what must and must not be done are
known as Rules.

• They are formed to maintain, regulate and control the working

environment.

• They are rigid and do not allow flexibility.

• If rules are violated, then strict disciplinary actions are taken.

• It reflects decisions that certain actions must and must not be taken.

• They are the simplest type of plan which do not require changes
from time to time.
 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN RULES&
PROCEDURES
Basis Procedures Rules

Procedures are routine steps that

Rules are specific statements that
Meaning carry out activities in an
inform what is to be done.
organization.

They are broad guidelines under

They strictly define guidelines, and
Nature which management can exercise
there is no scope for discretion.
little discretion.

Flexibility They are more flexible than rules. They are rigid.

There are usually no penalties for There are penalties for violation of
Effect of violation
violation of procedures. rules.

Procedure for appraisal in an Rules of ‘No mobile phones’ in

Example
organization. factories.
 TERMS of REFERENCE
Terms of Reference
• Creating a meeting Terms of Reference (ToR), is a great yet simple tool. It
describes all of the important aspects for the meeting so that every
participant and those outside of the meeting are very clear on the purpose
and operation on the meeting.
• The ToR must include::
Purpose
• This should clearly explain the purpose of the project meeting so that
everyone has a common understanding why the meeting is needed. For
example, to provide oversight and direction to project ABC.
Responsibilities
•This lists out the collective responsibilities of the meeting attendees. This
ensures each attendee knows what is expected of them and it provides the
authority. For example, review and approve change requests.
 TERMS of REFERENCE
Frequency
•This will define how often the meeting is held i.e., monthly, weekly, etc.
Duration
•This will define the length of the meeting i.e., 1 hour.
Attendees / Members
•All regular members and attendees should be listed along with their role. It
is important to distinguish between members, who have voting rights and
attendees.
•It is also important to define if delegates are allowed. If delegates are
allowed there is a risk that the meeting will become ineffective as delegates
will not have the appropriate knowledge and / or will not be able to make
decisions. If delegates are allowed, they must be able to perform the
required responsibilities.
 TERMS of REFERENCE
Chair
•One of the Members should be nominated as the chair. It is also a good
idea to nominate a delegate chair for when the chair cannot attend.
•In some cases, you may wish to have a rolling chair with each Member
taking a turn. This can work. However, there must be a clear schedule to
ensure everyone has a fair turn.
•The chair is responsible for ensuring that the agenda is followed. That
members and attendees have the opportunity to be heard and ensure that
the meeting remains within the terms of reference for the meeting.
 TERMS of REFERENCE
Secretary
•It is a good idea to appoint a secretary for the meeting. The responsibility is
to ensure that all meeting materials are available in a timely manner. The
key points from the meeting are captured together with actions and
decisions. These will be recorded in formal minutes.
Inputs
•Any inputs for the meeting should be clearly defined. This may include
some form of meeting pack with required information i.e., status reports and
must include the minutes from the previous meeting.
Outputs
•Expected outputs from the meeting should be defined. For decisions this
should include how they will be communicated to other stakeholders outside
of the meeting.
 TERMS of REFERENCE
Document the ToR
•Once you have defined the above, make sure that it is clearly documented.
This can be as simple as a single Word or PowerPoint page. The aim is to
make it clear to everyone so there is no confusion.

ToR Sign-off
•The documented ToR can then be circulated to the identified members /
attendees for review and refinement. Plus, it ensures that the candidates can
assess if they are the right person to attend and that they have the required
level of authority.
•At the first meeting, one of the agenda items should be the formal review
and sign-off of the ToR. The sign-off should then be captured in the minutes.
 How to prepare for meetings
Prepare for a meeting
•To ensure you have an effective meeting, start preparing in advance.
Preparing for a meeting helps you make the most of your time and gives you
the confidence you need to conduct a successful meeting.
Methods to prepare for a meeting:
Have an agenda
• Prepare an agenda that includes a list of topics, delegates speakers and
sets aside time for each agenda item. Ask for agenda suggestions, be
realistic with your time allotment for each agenda item and determine the
importance of each item. When you know the importance of an agenda
item, you can determine whether to address it during this meeting or bring
it up at a later date.
 Conduct of meetings
Ask your speakers to participate
• Before the meeting, ask various speakers to participate in the meeting.
They typically address individual objectives. Make sure to select speakers
who can effectively describe the process and outcomes for various
objectives.
Coordinate schedules
• Schedule the meeting to accommodate everyone's availability and
accessibility. Make sure to set a realistic meeting time. For example, having
a meeting during the late afternoon hours on a Friday may not be best as
many people are ready to head home for the weekend and won't be as
focused. If not, everyone can make the meeting, make sure the key
employees for a project can attend and that those who couldn't make it
receive notes with a summary of what occurred and what was discussed.
 Conduct of meetings
Share the agenda
• Before the meeting, circulate the agenda to the appropriate employees.
Make sure everyone has a copy and knows what to expect from the
meeting.

Send reminders
• Remind everyone of the meeting date and time ahead of time. This
ensures they fit it into their schedule and remember to attend.
 How do you start a meeting
effectively
•How do you start a meeting effectively?
•Not only does the beginning of a meeting set the tone, but it also helps
people feel more comfortable and willing to share their opinions and ideas.
•Ways to Start a Meeting Effectively
 Start with a brief introduction
• Greet everyone at the start of the meeting and introduce yourself. Thank
them for attending and give them your name and position at the company.
 Define the purpose of the meeting
• Explain the subject of the meeting and summarize the agenda. You can also
use this time to introduce the participants and key speakers.
 How do you start a meeting
effectively
 Use icebreakers
• Consider lightening the mood with an icebreaker. This can help your
attendees feel more comfortable and get them to open up during the
meeting.
• You can ask people questions to get to know them or ask fun questions
to create a more comfortable environment overall.
 STEPS IN CONDUCTING A MEETING
Set a clear objective
•Prior to the start of the meeting, make sure you have a clearly defined
purpose and objective for holding the meeting. Consider what you want the
meeting to accomplish. For example, you may want to seek input from other
employees or aim to arrive at a decision on a company matter.

Consider Your Attendees

•Take time to determine who you want and need to attend the meeting. If you
plan to discuss an issue or topic that involves a specific employee, make sure
they're in attendance. It's also important to invite people who can provide
valuable input regarding a particular agenda item.
 STEPS IN CONDUCTING A MEETING
Start and end the meeting on time
•Distribute the agenda to the appropriate parties ahead of time to ensure
everyone knows the meeting's start time. Set ground rules and make sure
everyone knows the different time allotments. This helps everyone stay focused
and ensures the meeting ends promptly.
Follow your schedule
•Make sure that you not only create a clear agenda but also stick to it throughout
the meeting. Ensure you get to everything you planned to cover and follow the
time allotments you set for each agenda item. Consider displaying the agenda for
everyone to see and follow along with during the meeting.
Follow up
•After the conclusion of the meeting, send everyone an email highlighting what
the meeting accomplished, the tasks that were delegated and the upcoming
deadlines or newly established goals. This ensures all attendees know what's
 Follow up after conducting a
meeting
Follow up after conducting a meeting?
•Following up after a meeting helps remind everyone of what was discussed and what
needs to happen. It essentially serves as a reminder and informs everyone who was
absent what the meeting entailed.
Share meeting minutes.
• Right after the meeting, share the meeting minutes via email with all attendees
and anyone who couldn't make it. Make sure to share the minutes no later than 24
hours after the meeting. The notes should record everything that happened during
the meeting, including any decisions that were made and action plans that were
created.
Check on the progress of each action item.
 Make sure to check in with your team regarding their progress with the action
items from the meeting. You can do this in person or via email. This ensures
everyone meets their goals on time and reminds people of their responsibilities
 Follow up after conducting a
meeting
 Schedule individual meetings. After the meeting, schedule individual
meetings with project leaders or other employees in charge of the action
items you established during the meeting. This allows you to speak with
them directly about these action items and gives you an opportunity to
check in on their progress.

 Schedule another meeting. At the end of the meeting, take time to

schedule the next meeting. Doing this makes everyone aware of the next
meeting date and gives them a chance to address any scheduling
conflicts.
 ROLES OF CHAIR,
SECRETARY & MEMBERS
Roles of Chair
•Brief themselves and prepare fully – study all relevant information and anticipate the
needs and interests of the members.
Be punctual
 The Chair should set a good example by arriving early to check the arrangements
and welcome members, the public and any visiting speakers.
Conduct the Meeting Properly
 Check there is a quorum
 Call the meeting to order and declare it open
 Welcome members, the public and visiting speakers
 Introduce the standard items on the agenda (e.g., apologies, declarations,
minutes)
 Introduce other agenda items and ensure that all members know what they have
to achieve and how they might do it
 Roles of a Chair
 Keep members aware of objectives
 Maintain focus, guide and progress discussion towards objectives
 Manage conflict
 Be fair and balanced
 Preserve order
 Enforce rules of procedure
 Rule on disputed matters
Participate but do not dominate
 Ask questions
 Clarify misunderstandings
 Correct mistakes
 Reject irrelevancies and stop the meeting from going off at a tangent
 Co-ordinate the views of members
 Give information if needed
 Summarize the meeting’s views and conclusions and confirm what has been
decided/voted on
 Roles of a Chair
 Lead the council
 Plan, organize and control discussion
 Develop harmonious relationships
 Motivate individuals by encouraging and rewarding their efforts and
supporting them in difficulties.
 Role of a Secretary
The role of a Secretary in Meetings
•The exact work of the Secretary will vary from organization to organization. It is
worth having a discussion in your group to agree what the responsibilities of all the
Committee members should be.
This list can be used as a guide to the Secretary’s job:
 Taking minutes in meetings.
 Keeping files of past minutes and reports.
 Letting people know when and where the next meeting is and what it is about.
 Helping to prepare agendas for meetings with the Chairperson.
 Writing and receiving letters on behalf of the group.
 Keeping members informed of what correspondence has been sent out and
received.
 Keeping a record of membership.
 Keeping a record of important phone numbers.
 Role of a Secretary
Taking Minutes
•Taking minutes is an important part of the job, and can be a bit daunting
when you first start.
•The basic tasks for the minute-taker are:
 Taking rough notes during your meetings.
 Writing up these notes neatly or typing them out.
 Copying and distributing them to relevant people.
 Keeping all minutes together in a file for future reference.
THE END