Meeting/Group Discussion
Skills
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Meeting/Group Discussion Skills
What is a meeting?
A gathering of two or more people
who interact face to face, verbally and
nonverbally, to achieve an expected
outcome, and are interdependent on each
other.
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“It’s almost like giving me a hidden TV camera in
their office. My employees start to forget I’m there and that’s good. I try to watch for signs that they
can manage other people and information, that they
can think. How did they prepare? Do they
understand what I’m trying to accomplish when I’m
leading a meeting and can they help me get there?
I can tell a great deal about leadership capacity
simply watching an employee attend a meeting.”
Don Gevirtz
Chairman & CEO, Foothill Group
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Time spent in meetings
• Average professionals/managers
>25%
• Upper- and middle-level managers >40%
• Some senior executives
4 days a week
(approx. 70%)
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Why are meetings necessary?
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Rapid decision making
Exchanging ideas & opinions
Disseminating information
Making staff feel involved
Developing teamwork
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Meeting behaviours
• Task Facilitating Behaviours
• Group Maintenance Behaviours
• Self-oriented Behaviours
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Task facilitating behaviours
Initiating
 Giving/Seeking information/opinion
 Coordinating
 Setting procedure

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Group Maintenance Behaviours
• Encouraging
• Harmonizing
• Compromising
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Self-oriented behaviours
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Controlling
Withdrawing
Seeking attention
Diverting
Excluding
Belittling
Blocking
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Duties of participants
• Before the meeting
• Prepare carefully
–
–
–
–
Study agenda
Anticipate
List questions
Prepare your case
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Duties of participants (cont’d)
• During the meeting
• Contribute positively
– Be punctual
– Speak up
– Follow agenda
• Listen actively
– Look interested
– Maintain eye contact
– Welcome contributions
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Duties of participants (cont’d)
• After the meeting
• Act promptly
– Deliver the goods
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Duties of chairperson
Before the meeting:
• Plan
– Why and what?
– Who?
– When and where?
• Inform
– Notice of meeting
– Meeting agenda
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Notice of meeting
An announcement of
• the TIME,
• the DATE,
• the PLACE, and
• the PURPOSE.
Notice of meeting
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Agenda
... shows
• TOPICS
• ORDER
• TIME SCHEDULE (optional)
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Functions of the agenda
• Communicates expectations
• Acts as a control device
Meeting
objectives
Agenda
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Tropman’s Agenda Bell
Start of meeting
End of meeting
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Duties of chairperson (cont’d)
Before the meeting:
• Plan
– Why and what?
– Who?
– When and where?
• Inform
– Notice of meeting
– Meeting agenda
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Writing:Communication:
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Duties of chairperson (cont’d)
During the meeting:
• Maintain structure and
control
• Start punctually
• Restate purpose
• Keep group focussed
• Facilitate discussion
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Skillful Use of Questions
? ?
?
? ?
• To get contributions from quiet members
• To encourage participation
– “What is your reaction ...?”
– “How do you feel about ..?”
– “We haven’t heard from John yet. John, how do you feel about this?”
• To control members who talk too much
– “Yes, we all take your point on that but I think another perspective will
only help. Has anyone here got any other ideas?”
• To reach mutual understanding
– “Let me see if I understand your position. Are you saying that ...?”
– “I’m not sure I understand. Do you mean that ..?”
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Duties of chairperson (cont’d)
• Ensure written record kept
– Appoint minutes taker
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Functions of minutes
• To provide a permanent written record
of the proceedings.
• To remind participants of what happened
at the meeting.
• To provide a basis for discussion.
• To help those not present at the meeting to
understand what took place.
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Minutes of meeting
• Narrative Style
• Resolution Style
• Action Style
Minutes of meeting
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Effective minutes should:
•
Be concise
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Be accurate
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Be complete
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Be expressed in a form that
satisfies all participants
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Convey the tone of the meeting
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To be effective
...meetings must be more than a mere
congregation of bodies … minds, knowledge
and experience, and clear objectives must
also join forces.
A meeting is effective when it achieves its
objectives in a minimum amount of time to
the satisfaction of the participants.
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Never let anyone say this
about your meetings
A meeting is a place where
people take minutes and
waste hours.
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Writing:Communication:
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