Take send have chair get discuss call receive

1. I`ve ………. this meeting to talk about the changes to our overtime policy.

2. Karen can`t come to this morning`s meeting. She ………. her apologies.

3. Can we ………. started? I don`t want to be here all day.

4. I`ve asked Jens to ………. the minutes at today`s meeting.

5. There are four main points to ………. today.

6. Can we ……… a short break now?

7. Has everyone ………. a copy of this morning`s agenda?

8. The MD was ill so Henri had to ………. the budget meeting.

4. Here are some tips for speaking in meetings. Which ones do you agree with?

· Only speak if you have something important to say.

· Let people finish their point before you speak – never interrupt.

· On your turn, speak for as long as possible.

· It`s OK to interrupt someone.

· It`s OK to make grammatical mistakes, as long as people understand you.

5. Read and translate the text:

Make meetings work for you

Do you dread meetings more than Monday mornings? Do you find them boring, unproductive and far too long? Meetings are central to most organizations: people need to know what their colleagues are doing and then take decisions based on shared information and opinions. How well you present yourself and your ideas and how well you work with other people, is crucial to your career.

Running a meeting

Only call a meeting if you (and your colleagues) are quite clear about its purpose. Once you are certain of your objective, ask yourself whether it could be better

Lesson 9. Business Meetings.

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achieved through alternative means, such as a memo. Meetings called on a routine basis tend to lose their point. It`s better to wait until a situation or problem requires a meeting. If in doubt, don`t waste time having one.

If you are sure a meeting is the solution, circulate a memo several days in advance specifying the time and place, objectives, issues to be discussed, other participants and preparation expected. Meetings should be held in the morning, if possible, when people are usually more alert, and should last no more than an hour. Six is the optimum number of participants for a good working meeting. Inviting the whole department (more than 10) increases emotional undercurrents such as, “Will my suggestions be taken seriously?” Larger meetings can be productive as brainstorming sessions for ideas, provided participants can speak freely without feeling they will be judged.

A successful meeting always leads to action. Decisions should take up the bulk of the meeting minutes, including the name of the person delegated to each task, and a deadline for its completion. Circulation the minutes after the meeting and again just before the next one.

Draw out quieter members of the group. Encouragement helps create a relaxed and productive atmosphere. Do not single out any individual for personal criticism – they will either silently withdraw, upset and humiliated, or try to come up with excuses rather than focusing on the problems in hand. Save critical comments for a private occasion.

If you`re talking for more than 50 per cent of the time, you`re dominating the meeting.

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 1395