Modernise your meetings Mal Harrison Meeting Rules Timekeeping

Modernise your meetings Mal Harrison

Meeting Rules Timekeeping Smoking Eating and/or drinking Switching off mobile phones Equal opportunities Recognising and respecting others’ views / contributions • Listening (you may learn something) • Accepting differences in people’s ability to communicate • • Using clear, simple language • Not interrupting • Respecting others’ privacy and personal space • Confidentiality • Unacceptable language • Not holding private discussions between individuals • Directing all contributions “through the Chair”

Behaviours and values • Openness and Honesty (It is a shared responsibility to ensure that all members feel safe to express their opinions • Participation and Equality (Everyone’s contribution is to be recognised and valued • Open to Challenge (Any group member may be challenged in order for the group to learn and change • Fairness: The group must ensure that everyone involved has an equal voice • • Accountability: All members share responsibility for • decisions taken by the group

Meeting Assessment Checklist • Think about a meeting you attended recently • Circle or No

Skills and Qualities • Planning & organisation • Team working/ team building • Leadership • Objectivity • Prioritising • Assertiveness/being firm but sensitive • Public speaking • Active listening • Questioning/Clarifying /Summarising • Problem solving • Decision making • Negotiation • Defusing difficult situations

Understanding Behaviours

Non-Verbal Communication • Facial expressions – e. g. Yawning = boredom? Frowning = displeasure? • Body postures – e. g. Folded arms = defensiveness? Leaning forward = interest? • Gestures – e. g. Finger pointing = aggression? Outstretched hands = willing to compromise? • Mannerisms – e. g. Tapping fingers or pens = impatience? Fiddling = nervousness?

We all have bad habits. .

The Human Zoo explores the foibles, quirks and behaviour of that most fascinating of species – us!!! Who is in your zoo?

We all have bad habits • Have there been times when we take on some of the characteristic of animals? • Rabbit – runs away as soon as they sense any difficulty or jump to another topic • Elephants – block the path to achieving anything • Monkeys – fool around and chatter a lot • Frogs – croak on an on about the same subject • Chameleons change colour depending on who they are with

Evaluation forms, please.

I hope to see you all again, very soon. Thank you Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. Margaret Mead