1 BUSINESS ENGLISH LECTURE 11 Synopsis 2 Business

1 BUSINESS ENGLISH LECTURE 11

Synopsis 2 Business Meetings, Planning- Execution and Minute Writing 1. Meeting: Essential Meeting elements 2. Questions for planning a meeting 3. The need for agendas/ Sample 4. Pre-meeting tasks 5. During meeting tasks 6. Post-meeting tasks 7. Common Disruptive task 8. Dealing with Loudmouths 9. Preparing the minutes

Synopsis 3 10. What to include in the minute 11. Taking minutes / guidelines – sample Writing minutes Effective reception / listening and understanding barriers

BUSINESS MEETINGS PLANNING, EXECUTION, AND MINUTE WRITING

What is a Meeting? Meeting A scheduled gathering of group members for a structured discussion guided by a designated chairperson

Essential Meeting Elements

Questions for Planning a Meeting Why are we meeting? § Who should attend the meeting? § When should we meet? § Where should we meet? § What materials do we need? §

The Need for Agendas Agenda The outline of items to be discussed and tasks to be accomplished during a meeting An agenda. . . is an organizational tool. helps members prepare for a meeting. is a time management tool. provides a measure of success.

A Business Meeting Agenda Purpose of Meeting Names of Group Members—present or absent Date, Time, and Place Call to Order Approval of the Agenda Approval of Previous Meeting’s Minutes Individual and Committee Reports Unfinished Business New Business Announcements Adjournment

Sample Discussion Agenda

Chairperson’s Pre-Meeting Tasks Notify members Distribute materials Remind members Prepare for discussion

Chairperson’s Tasks During the Meeting • • • Begin on time Delegate minutes Follow the agenda Facilitate the discussion Provide closure

Chairperson’s Post-Meeting Tasks • • • Evaluate the meeting Distribute the minutes Monitor assigned tasks

Common Disruptive Behaviors Nonparticipants Loudmouths Interrupters Whisperers Latecomers Early Leavers

Dealing with Loudmouths How to deal with loudmouths: Acknowledge that you understand their positions. Interrupt them and shift the focus to other members. Tell them the group needs input from everyone. Assign them side-line tasks (e. g. , taking minutes) that shift them from talking to listening and writing.

How to Deal with Disruptive Behavioral Problems Nonparticipants: Interrupters: Whisperers: Latecomers and Early Leavers: _____________________________________________ ___________________________________________

Preparing the Minutes The minutes of a meeting are. . . the written record of a group’s discussion and activities. legal documents as well as historical records of organization business. a way to share what happens with members who don’t attend. a way to prevent disagreement over member assignments and group decisions.

What to Include in the Minutes Name of the group Date and place of meeting Names of attending members Name of the chair Names of absent members Time the meeting was called to order Time the meeting adjourned Name of person preparing the minutes Summary of discussion and decisions including action items

Taking Minutes Write clear statements that summarize the meeting’s main ideas and actions. Word decisions, motions, action items, and deadlines exactly as the group makes them. If in doubt, ask the group for clarification. Attach the agenda and any reports to the final copy of the minutes.

Guidelines for Taking Minutes Report the facts and all sides of a discussion accurately. _________________________________ Always keep in mind that the minutes are a public record of the meeting.

Sample of Informal Minutes

WRITING MINUTES

Conducting Interactive Meetings and Writing Minutes 23 I. Steps in Planning a Meeting II. Setting the Agenda � � � Elements Order of agenda items Example III. Participating in Meetings � � � The Chairperson The Secretary The Participants

Conducting Interactive Meetings and Writing Minutes (cont’d) 24 IV. Resolving conflict �Possible outcome �Win-win assumptions V. Writing Minutes of Meeting �Elements �Producing minutes �Example VI. Strategies to Improve Your Listening Effectiveness

25 Steps in Planning a Meeting 1. Determining the purpose �Information sharing �Decision making – – – Identifying issue / brainstorming Persuasion and negotiation / discussion Decision �Problem – – – solving Identifying solution(s) / brainstorming Evaluating solution(s) / discussion Choosing best solution(s) / decision

Steps in Planning a Meeting (cont’d) 26 2. Selecting the participants � Key contributors � Decision makers 3. Setting the agenda � Frames the structure of the meeting. � Consists of a list of items to be discussed. � Distributes meeting content in advance for better contribution. � Allows chairperson to keep the meeting focused and achieve its purpose. � Presents items in order they appear and the limit allocated by the chairman.

Steps in Planning a Meeting (cont’d) 27 4. Picking the convenient time and the location �Time – of day Morning versus afternoon �Venue – – Comfort and convenience Seating 5. Preparing notice of meeting 6. Sending out documents 7. Copying minutes of last meeting

Setting the Agenda 28 Elements of the Agenda 1. To : Involved personnel 2. From : Chairperson 3. Date : Date of the meeting 4. Subject: Brief description of the meeting 5. Issues to be discussed 6. Person responsible for any designated issues 7. Designated time line 8. See Samples

THE GRABBIT INSURANCE COMPANY AGENDA TO: All Members of Staff FROM: Joe Chan (Chairperson) DATE: 23 February 200 SUBJECT: Monthly Staff Meeting A meeting of all members of staff will be held on Monday 3 March 2000 at 10 am in the conference room. It will last about one hour. 1. Apologies for absence (JC) 2. Minutes of the last meeting (JC) 3. Matters arising (WW) 4. Measures to be taken to cut running costs (SY) 5. How the measures are to be implemented 6. Any other business 7. Date of the next meeting Ms T Tam Secretary to the chairperson Distribution: Willie Wong Charlie Wu Susie Wong Peter Perks Source: Adapted from NLM Sanny Yeung Billy Bunter Venus Pong Joesph Tse 29

Participating in Meetings 30 v The Chairperson � � v The Secretary � � � v Before the meeting During the meeting After the meeting The Participants � � � Before the meeting During the meeting After the meeting

Participating in Meetings (cont’d) 31 Each participant has a role to play in a meeting as follows: THE CHAIRPERSON v Beforehand: � Establishing purpose � Deciding if a meeting is necessary � Choosing participants � Preparing agenda � Circulating agenda etc. � Checking arrangements

v During the meeting : Source: Adapted from NLM Open the meeting: invite introductions if necessary; state the purpose of the meeting; present the agenda. Move to first agenda item Invite someone to speak Bring others into the discussion Interrupt / Control if necessary Ask for repetition and clarification Paraphrase (restate using own words) & Summarize (brief general statement) Move to the next point Conclude the discussion: summarize the decisions/ points raised make sure tasks are delegated Ask if there is any other business End the meeting and fix the next meeting date 32

Participating in Meetings (cont’d) 33 THE SECRETARY v Beforehand: � Helping distribute the agenda to participants � Checking physical arrangements � Preparing stationery and necessary documents etc � Booking venue

Participating in Meetings (cont’d) 34 v During the meeting: � Taking notes for the minutes � Providing information to chairperson and participants if needed v After the meeting: � Writing up the minutes � Checking accuracy of the minutes with the chairperson � Circulating the minutes to participants before the next meeting

Participating in Meetings (cont’d) 35 THE PARTICIPANTS v Beforehand: � Reading the agenda and any other pre-meeting documentation � Preparing for the meeting � Confirming availability � Being punctual to the meeting

Participating in Meetings (cont’d) 36 v During the meeting: � Making relevant and productive contributions � Asking for clarification if necessary � Being prepared to justify opinions � Being attentive and listening � Being aware of your and others’ body language v After the meeting: � Following meeting up with any action agreed during the

Resolving Conflict Possible outcome Win-lose Lose-lose Win-win assumptions § Mutual satisfaction possible § Parties willing to cooperate § Parties can be trusted 37

Writing Minutes of Meetings 38 v About minutes 1. Can be defined as a written record of the business transacted at a meeting. 2. May well have some legal and authoritative force. 3. Must summarize the major contributions to the discussion in such a way that each speaker’s interactions are recorded 4. Must be clear about what the speaker “meant”, not just what the individual “said” 5. The process of minutes writing is a process of interpretation, not just repetition

Writing Minutes of Meetings (cont’d) 39 v Check that the minutes 1. Provide a true, impartial and balance account of the proceedings; 2. Are written in clear, concise and unambiguous language; 3. Are concise and accurate; 4. Follow a method of presentation which helps the reader assimilated the content.

Writing Minutes of Meetings (cont’d) 40 v Elements to be included in a minutes: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Heading (including where and when the meeting was held) Present (who was there) Apologies of Absence Minutes of the previous meeting (note any corrections and state the minutes were accepted as a true record of the meeting [with the above corrections, where applicable]) Statements of what actually occurred at the meeting Any Other Business (AOB) Who was the chairperson and who the secretary The time the meeting adjourned and when the next meeting is to take place

Writing Minutes of Meetings (cont’d) 41 Types of minutes writing: 1. Narrative minutes [Click for example] 2. Resolution minutes [Click for example] 3. A summary of the discussion leading up to a decision. Useful for meetings that a more detailed record of the discussion is preferable. Actual resolutions are emphasized, but only give brief details of the discussion itself. Opinions stated, conflicts among members and disagreements are treated off-record. Action minutes [Click for example] Record the decision made on the issue and the action (what) to be taken (by whom) and (when). (See Supplementary Reading for examples)

Strategies to Improve Your Listening Effectiveness 42 v Second language listening problems �Native speaker accents and pronunciation �Speed: Perceived pace of native speaker delivery �Inability to predict because of unfamiliarity with Concept / subject matter - Terminology - Cultural references - �Sustaining concentration

LISTENING SKILLS MEETINGS

Strategies to Improve Your Listening Effectiveness (cont’d) Strategies to strengthen your academic/Professional listening skills v Before the Meeting 1. Prepare yourself mentally: - Write down one thing you already know about the topic - Listen to confirm 2. Prepare the subject area - Reading in advance to establish a context 3. Predict what you will hear (outline format) - Write down 2 or 3 questions related to the topic: 2 -3 things: 1. You expect to find out 2. You would like to know 3. You didn’t understand from the reading 44

Strategies to Improve Your Listening Effectiveness (cont’d) During the Meeting 1. Listen for key words - Don’t write down everything - Leave lots of white space on the page - Use a numbering system 2. Listen for organizational signposts - First of all / next / a further point / finally - One… Two… - First… Second… 3. Listen for summaries and for repeats - To sum up - In summary then 4. Wake - Mind drifting? 5. Link to what you know - Write notes to yourself: 1. Examples 2. Comparisons 45

Strategies to Improve Your Listening Effectiveness (cont’d) After the Meeting 1. Review - Read over your notes as SOON as you can after the lecture - Use hours between classes! 2. Transform - Manipulate the information in some way: 1. Chart 2. Diagram 3. Mind map 46

MEETING EVALUATION

Post-Meeting Evaluation Was the meeting’s goal clear? Was the agenda useful and followed? How prepared were group members? Did everyone have an equal chance to participate? Did members listen effectively and consider different points of view? Were assignments and deadlines made clear by the end of the meeting?

Additional Evaluation Questions What other evaluation questions would you add to those on the previous slide? Example: Did the meeting begin and end on time? Example: ________________________ Example: ____________

Writing Minutes of Meetings Can be defined as a written record of the business transacted at a meeting. v z May well have some legal and authoritative force. z Must summarize the major contributions to the discussion in such a way that each speaker’s interactions are recorded z Must be clear about what the speaker “meant”, not just what the individual “said” z The process of minutes writing is a process of interpretation, not just repetition

Format for Writing Minutes Date and place listed Names of the participants All the main points are summarized and numbered Avoid bias when recording items

Writing Minutes of Meetings (cont’d) v Elements to be included in a minutes: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Heading (including where and when the meeting was held) Present (who was there) Apologies of Absence Minutes of the previous meeting (note any corrections and state the minutes were accepted as a true record of the meeting [with the above corrections, where applicable]) Statements of what actually occurred at the meeting Any Other Business (AOB) Who was the chairperson and who the secretary The time the meeting adjourned and when the next meeting is to take place

Writing Minutes of Meetings (cont’d) v Check that the minutes 1. Provide a true, impartial and balance account of the proceedings; 2. Are written in clear, concise and unambiguous language; 3. Are concise and accurate; 4. Follow a method of presentation which helps the reader assimilated the content.

Writing Minutes of Meetings (cont’d) Types of minutes writing: Narrative minutes 1. A summary of the discussion leading up to a decision. Useful for meetings that a more detailed record of the discussion preferable. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Resolution minutes Actual resolutions are emphasized, but only give brief details of the discussion itself. Opinions stated, conflicts among members and disagreements are treated off-record. Action minutes Record the decision made on the issue and the action (what) to be taken (by whom) and (when).

Distribution of Meeting Minutes Send the minutes the next day Copy all relevant individuals Make sure the chair person approves the minutes Update the status of issues Provide updated minutes to meeting attendants prior to follow up meetings

56 BUSINESS ENGLISH LANGUAGE EXPANSION PH 1 - 5

57 Which of these characteristics are the most important for a good salesperson? • Really listens to the customer in… interested • Smiles all the time friendly fr… • Knows a lot about their products knowledgeable k… • Has a smart appearance pres… presentable • You feel you can trust him/her trustworthy tr… • Can explain the USP of the product competent com… • Gives the customer time to think patient pa… • Good at making the customer believe in the product per… persuasive • Makes small talk chatty ch…

58 § Which questions can you think of? 1 Which model? 2 Which make would you like? 3 How many doors would you like? 4 What about the engine? 5 What optional extras would you like? 6 Are you planning to travel long distances? 7 What about the colour?

LISTENING ACTIVITY

Listening Exercise Activity Answer discussion

Review 61 Business Meetings, Planning- Execution and Minute Writing 1. Meeting: Essential Meeting elements 2. Questions for planning a meeting 3. The need for agendas/ Sample 4. Pre-meeting tasks 5. During meeting tasks 6. Post-meeting tasks 7. Common Disruptive task 8. Dealing with Loudmouths 9. Preparing the minutes

Review 62 10. What to include in the minute 11. Taking minutes / guidelines – sample Writing minutes Effective reception / listening and understanding barriers