1) The document provides guidance on how to plan and conduct effective meetings, including setting objectives, preparing agendas, facilitating discussions, and documenting decisions.
2) Key recommendations include separating creative from routine meetings, having the chair and secretary understand meeting procedures, and allowing all participants to contribute while keeping discussions on track and focused.
3) Successful meetings require thorough preparation, maintaining order and timeliness, maximizing participation, summarizing discussions, and documenting action items and decisions.
2. 2
The general principles for holding
successful and productive meetings are
valid for all types of meetings, whether
traditional, face-to-face, or
electronically linked.
Effective meetings can:
• Provide swift and productive
communication between a number of
people
• Be a successful decision-making
instrument
• Enhance the motivation &
communication of a team
3. 3
Before the meeting, it is important to
ensure that they are justified before
committing, time, effort, and other
costs involved. Consider what are the
purposes of the meeting:
• To exchange information
• To monitor progress on performance
• To deal with specific problems
• To brainstorm issues
• To develop future plans
4. 4
Separate creative, analytical meetings
from the routinary meetings. Creative
meetings need a more relaxed
timetable and atmosphere. It is hard
to switch from the routine to creative
and vice versa. Decide who could
participate in creative meetings neither
too many or few, only those who can
contribute.
Creative & Routinary Meetings
5. 5
The chairman and secretary
should have a firm grasp of both the
conduct of meetings and functions of
the Board. Without a simple but
consistently observed procedure,
board work become chaotic,
decisions are queried, discussions are
re-opened after they had closed and
members complain that their views
have been ignored.
Conduct of Meeting
6. 6
All meetings should be
announced in advance with the
following information:
• notice of meeting & agenda
• current financial statements
• a list of new member
applications
• a list of applications for
withdrawal from membership
• major recommendations and
manager’s report
Procedure
7. 7
Choose the date, starting &
finishing time and place. Having
a definite finish time helps
concentration and my help to
avoid time consuming
digressions. Make sure the data
and time is suitable for all
intended participants
8. 8
Set the agenda. For each item
clarify the objective and who
will lead the discussion.
Construct a timetable so that
important items do not get
squeezed out and lesser items
do not absorb a
misappropriate amount of
time
9. 9
Personal agenda have no
price in a coop board and
are especially dangerous
when exhibited by officers
10. 10
The Chairman should be
careful in giving those with
different views the fullest
opportunity to express
them. Balance contributions
on contentious subjects.
Keep control of the time
11. 11
BOD should not raise a
difficult or controversial
proposal suddenly or raising
a proposal when the
principal opponents are
absent from the meeting
Surprises are good for
parties not good for
management
12. 12
As far as possible, the
chairman will try to get
the BOD to arrive at a
unanimous decision or at
least one in which the
minority spontaneously
agrees to adopt the
majority view
13. 13
The BOD will vote first on
the amendment, if
accepted becomes the
decision of the meeting.
If it is rejected, the BOD
must vote on the original
resolution
14. 14
If, in either case, the
votes for and against are
equal, the Chairman can
settle be giving a
‘CASTING VOTE”.
15. 15
1. Taking notes as you are the leader and may
also be a key contributor
2. Losing your temper (temper your temper)
3. Allowing participants to get involved in
purely personal disagreements
4. Talking too much for too long
5. Insisting on having the last word
6. Talking first, except to introduce a topic
TRY TO AVOID
16. 16
A written record known as
minutes should be kept of all
board meetings. Minutes are
very important, as the
recorded decisions of the BOD
are the AUTHORITY on which
the manager of the society
acts like: when money is
invested, new positions are
opened for more staff, etc.
17. 17
Without written authority
the actions might be
questioned, and if the
decision turned out to be a
bad one, the BOD might
disclaim the responsibility
18. 18
• RESULT – expectation of members
- represents the members
and protect the interest of
members
• LOOK AFTER THEIR WELFARE – A
leader should know very well his/her
members and should positively act
on their problems. If she neglects
their welfare, their loyalty and
interest will decline
19. 19
Make sound and timely
decisions – The ability to
make rapid estimate of the
situation, arrive a sound
decision and announce
decision in the correct form of
order at the proper time is
essential to a leader. For any
situation that may arise the
leader should be able to act
logically
20. 20
1. Start Promptly
2. Always start the meeting
with a prayer
3. Call to order by the
Secretary
4. Determination of Quorum
21. 21
5. Deal with administrative
items such as: Introduction of
any newcomers, expressions of
congratulations, thanks, good
wishes, condolences, apologies
receives from absentees,
domestic arrangement, breaks,
expected finish time, etc
Administrative Matters First
22. 22
6. Present objectives as well as the
agenda of the meeting. Introduce
each agenda with emphasis on the
objectives
7. Distribution of minutes by Sec
- Read/React/Clarify
- the concept of DDD
Debate/Decide/Direct
8. Approval of minutes of the
previous meeting
23. 23
9. Business arising from the minutes
- There is always a chance in your
previous meeting that there were
unfinished business. It depends to
the culture of the organization
- The Chair should not argue – The
Chair is supposedly neutral. If the
Chair argue then he is not neutral
anymore.
- POINT OF INQUIRY? Chair will
ask “What is your point inquiry”?
24. 24
10. POINT OF INQUIRY? Chair will ask
“What is your point inquiry”?
11. VIOLATION of the order of
business or Change course of the
business Raise “POINT OF
ORDER”
25. 25
12. Report of GM – The most
substantial tells you what
happen so far in the coop’s
operation. The Chair ask
recommendation for his
actions
13. Reports of the standing
committees – Acts on the
recommendation of the
Committees
26. 26
14. When somebody is making
recommendation, ask for
comments. If there is no
comment. The Chair will
declare that the
recommendations be approved.
With comment – the Chair will
allow debates, listen to both
side. Until the Chair feel that
the matter are sufficiently
discuss. Then he can now
divide the house
27. 27
15. Many Presiding Officers
(POs) had the tendency to talk
all the time, becoming their
advocacy. NO! If the Chair
wants to give inputs then he
calls the VC to preside till the
time the matters being
discussed have been
addressed. The Chair says “
the VC had acted upon the
matter so I am now assuming
the Chair
28. 28
16. MAXIMIZE OUTPUT. Technology of
participation. We want to maximize output
because we want to: INNOVATE – idea
generation and solve problem. Some members
of the Board are talkative/silent. How do we
get silent people to participate?
Agenda – Increase Volume of Business
Provide papers. Ask them to write 3 ideas
on the agenda. Capture everybody’s idea.
Come up with the presentation of ideas.
Divide the group into 2 so that there will be
sharing of ideas. Come up with the
presentation of ideas
Prioritize ideas and act on it.
29. 29
17.Encourage the shy and restrain the
verbose and opinionated
18.Allow only one discussion topic at a
time.
19. Employ visual aids where they may
help people to make their points
30. 30
20. Members speaking at the same
time – recognize one person at a
time
21. Rejection on the approved
decision – Open for comment.
22. disagree without being
disagreeable (IMPERFECT
CHARACTER)
23. Summarize at intervals
31. 31
24. At the last part of the meeting –
The Secretary is requested by the
Chair to announce resolutions
approved or action points agreed
upon
25.Ask a motion for adjournment
25. Thank every one for their
contribution. Conclude firmly &
tidily
32. 32
After the meeting:
1. Request the secretary to write down
immediately decision taken, the tasks agreed with
person responsible for action and the dates by
which action should be achieved.
2. Distribute the note to all participants and to
others as appropriate
3. Monitor the progress of subsequent action
Minutes should be certified true and correct by
the Secretary and attested by the Chairman
33. 33
Conducting a meeting is
an art, an art that can
be learned through an
expert or consultant