Civil Engineering Design &

Communication CE206

Chairing a Meeting
By
Gumindoga W
 What it means!!!!!!!
• Chairing a meeting means ensuring that a
meeting achieves its aims.
• The meeting should have been called for a
specific purpose
• and all discussion at the meeting must be
steered to this end.
• This may sound simple in theory but in
practice it is a very demanding task.
 Description
• Chairing a meeting involves clarity of both process and
outcome, relationship strategies, efficient
communication and the ability to distinguish process
from content.
• Meetings can easily fail with the omission of any one of
these characteristics.
• Without clarity, people do not know why they are in the
meeting or how they should contribute.
• Without relationship strategies, the chair can let some
dominate and others recede into the background.
• Without communication, messages will be confused or
forgotten. Without distinguishing process from content,
the meeting can easily become bogged down.
 Why meetings fail
• as lack of time,
• a badly designed agenda
• or an unsatisfactory venue.
– However, if the chairman is doing his (or her) job,
it should be possible to overcome these
difficulties.
  key ingredients for a fruitful meeting
Impartiality
– A chairman is like a judge in a court.
– He should ensure that all participants have an opportunity to express
their point of view.
– It can be difficult to leave your own opinions at home, but if you can’t
remain impartial, you shouldn’t have taken the job.
Assertiveness
– Ensuring that everyone gets a hearing will almost certainly involve
stopping someone from dominating the proceedings.
– The more contentious the issue the more likely you are to to require
firmness.
– You don’t need to be rude or dogmatic. Phrases such as “I think we
should hear from Ms. Smith on this” or “can we have some comments
from the engineering department on this” should be sufficient in most
cases.
– Once you provide this opening, however, you need to ensure that
there are no interruptions while the next speaker has their say.
 key ingredients for a fruitful meeting
Staying on course
• How often have you seen an agenda left totally aside?
• The meeting starts off well but becomes embroiled in a particular topic (perhaps the first
item on the agenda) and ends when time runs out.
• A Chairman must assess the importance of each item on the agenda, and allot time to each
topic as required.
• If one issue begins to dominate the chairman must take control. You might suggest a further
meeting to discuss the issue at a later date, or that the main parties concerned could
continue the discussion at the end of the meeting.

Summarizing
• Summarizing can be used to end a topic, to end a discussion, to limit the need for discussion
and at the end of a meeting to ensure that everyone has a clear overview of what took place
or what action is now required.
• It is an invaluable skill for a chairman. Summarizing requires active listening.
• You have to state concisely what was said in an impartial way and end with a clear
statement about what is expected to happen next. It takes practice to summarize well, but it
is a skill well worth developing.
• Many people feel that being a chairman means opening the meeting and stopping rows.
There is much more to it than that.
 Before the Meeting
• Plan the agenda with the chief officer and officers.
Include items brought to you by other members. 
Decide the order and timing of the agenda, and who will
introduce each one.
• Identify which agenda items are for information,
discussion or a decision.
• Be well briefed about each item, and actions taken since
the last meeting.
• Ensure all necessary background papers (including the
last meeting's minutes) are sent out with the agenda
beforehand.
• Check with staff that all relevant practical arrangements
have been made, e.g. room layout, visual aids, etc.
• Arrive in good time before the meeting is due to start.
 During the Meeting
Communicate
• Start the meeting. Welcome any new members. Make any
necessary introductions.
• Receive apologies for absence.
• Ensure that additions or amendments to minutes are recorded.
• Set the scene. State the objectives of the meeting and each item.
• Try to be brief when making a point.
Control
• Maintain control. Set out any time limits.
• Allow flexibility and freedom of expression.
• Keep to the agenda.
• Ensure quorum is present.
• Ensure time is used effectively.
• Ensure that proper minutes are taken.
 During the Meeting
Coax
• Ensure full participation.
• Draw out quieter members and discourage those who are monopolising the
meeting.
• Be prepared to highlight issues that no-one else will, and to be the one who
always has to ask the awkward questions.

Compare
• Weigh up contributions impartially.
• All points in favour of a point should be summarised against all points not in
favour.

Clarify
• Ensure everyone understands what is being discussed.
• Summarise.
• Ensure that if jargon and abbreviations are used, all present understand
them.
• Ensure that decisions are recorded, together with who is going to implement
them. It can be useful to record decisions on a flip-chart as they are made.
 During the Meeting
Decision Making
• Ensure that decisions are taken in the context of the
organisations strategy and that they are recorded,
together with who is going to implement them.

Guide
• Remember that above all you are there to guide the
meeting.
• Steer members to work harmoniously and purposefully
as a team.
• Keep an eye on time.
 At the End of the Meeting

• Summarise decisions taken and action points to

be followed up e.g. who's responsible, by when.
• Agree a date for the next meeting - it is usually
best to set dates for the year's meetings well in
advance.
• Agree what special items will be put on the
agenda of the next meeting and what work
needs to be done, by whom etc.
• Ensure that the minutes are written up,
checked by the Chair and sent out in good time.
 Following Up

• Distribute minutes within 2 to 3 days,

• including date/location of meeting,
• names of all present/absent, agenda
• items discussed, decisions reached and
• follow-up on action items
 Implementation
• Individuals who learn to chair meetings rarely
do so from a book or course alone.
• It is vital that individuals are exposed to
effective chairs and experience what it is like
to be in an effective meeting.
• It is recommended that individuals learning to
chair meetings take notes at all meetings they
attend regarding effective and ineffective
strategies.
 Ten Commandments for the Chair
Be Prepared. 
• The number one rule for effective chairmanship is to be prepared well in advance for the meeting. He
should, with the help of the secretary of the organization, draft an agenda for the meeting which
reflects the purpose of the meeting.
Be Prompt. 
• Prompt responses to the members’ opinions and suggestions are very important in keeping the
meetings under control. Use common sense. Never let the discussion linger on. Never let things get
out of your command.
Be Punctual. 
• A chair should be the first to arrive at the meeting place. He should realize that time is very precious. A
chair must insist that meetings start on time and end on time. Frivolous discussion should be
discouraged.
Be Strict.
•  A chair should be strict without being rude. Always see to it that the rule and decorum of the
organization are observed by the members. Never allow personal attacks and ego boosting
performances by the members.
Be Impartial. 
• Many a times, the discussions may reach a point where the chair will have to make a ruling depending
on the preceding discussions. The general trend of the discussion may have gone against the chair’s
own conviction. But the majority should always be given weightage.
 Ten Commandments for the Chair
Be Honest . 
• Being honest and open is the best virtue for a chair. Even though the chair has to
stick with the majority decision, the chair will be respected if he reveals his own
caliber and credibility.
Be Rational. 
• Common sense and reasoning can be of great virtues for a chair. A rational chair will
be efficient in judging the members’ moods and guiding the discussion in the
appropriate direction.
Be Humorous. 
• A humorous chair can convert the most monotonous meeting into a colorful and
enjoyable experience. The humor should be spontaneous and well timed.
Be Current.
• Keep updated on the current affairs of the organization, the society, the nation and
the world. This will come handy during the discussions.
Be Knowledgeable. 
• Above all, the chair should have a sound knowledge of the parliamentary procedures
and rules governing the conduct of a meeting. A basic knowledge about different
types of motions will be a useful tool while chairing a meeting.