A committee can be an effective working group for an organization if it has: 1) A clear written purpose that is aligned with the organization's goals and objectives. 2) A committee chair that is chosen based on their leadership skills and ability to effectively lead the group. 3) Members that are strategically chosen to match the needs of the committee with their skills and interests. Selecting members helps develop new leaders for the organization. 4) Efficiently run meetings that have a focused agenda and allow all members to contribute to moving the group's work forward.

1. Effective Committees
Presented by
Majid Shabbir
Secretary General
Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry

2. Effective Committees
• Empowering Board and Secretariat and delegating
authorities?
• Why a Committee?
• Basic Components of Effective Committees
• Characteristics of Effective Committee Chair
Objectives

3. Effective Committees
• Who and how the Board and Secretariat can
be empowered to perform efficiently and
effectively ?
• Orientation of Board
• When President/Chairman decides to stop
micromanagement.
Empowering Board and Secretariat and
delegating authorities?

4. Effective Committees
• Presidents role should be visionary.
• Grooming and capacity building of Board
members and employees
• Board needs to appoint committees for
strategic actions, and empower staff for
implementation.
Empowering Board and Secretariat and
delegating authorities?

5. Effective Committees
Breakout Session I
• What is an effective Board?
• What are the benefits of effective Board
and Secretariat?
• How staff should be empowered to
accomplish the assigned task ?

6. Effective Committees
• Carry out work of the organization
• Represent, involve, and serve members
• Provide training ground for future leaders
of the organization
Why Committees?

7. Effective Committees
Group/
Team
Communication
Contribution
Trust
Acceptance
Creativity
Appreciation
Collaboration Cycle

8. Effective Committees
How do you form Committees?

9. Effective Committees
Composition
Agenda
ResourcesKPIs
Self
EvaluationPerformance Cycles
of Effective
Committees

10. Effective Committees
• Clear written purpose
• Effective committee chair
• Thoughtfully appointed members
• Accountability to the Board
• Well-run meetings
Basic components of Effective
Committees

11. Effective Committees
Written description
• There should be a written
description of what is expected
from each committee
• The description should summarize
the purpose of the committee, its
composition
• Selection procedure, and the
specific duties of the committee

12. Effective Committees
• Committee name -- suggests importance and functions
• Objectives --precise and achievable objectives
• Duration – timings of actions should be specified
• Authority to act -- advisory role or Board delegates authority
• Resources -- secretarial support , meeting room, food etc.
• Budget – may or may not be required
• Membership – how to chose total members
• Reporting – actions on assigned tasks, accountability
Committee definition -- purpose

13. Effective Committees
• Preferably be a board member
• Not necessarily the technical expert
• Works well with others
• Organizes effectively
• Motivates others
• Keeps people on task
• Good communication skills
Traits of Committee Chair

14. Effective Committees
• Prepare and present committee reports with the
support of staff
• A trendsetter to help produce an effective successor
• Set agendas
• Call meetings
• Allow all members opportunity to contribute
• Assign responsibilities and follow up
Responsibilities of Chair

15. Effective Committees
• Be familiar with goals of organization and its by-laws
• Select members
• Orient new members
• Report to Board or Executive Committee
• Praise member contributions
• Conflict resolution
Responsibilities of Chair

16. Effective Committees
• Talk the most at meetings
• Make all the decisions
• Allow one or more people to dominate the meeting
• Cut people out of discussions
• Make people feel foolish or useless
Chair does NOT………

17. Effective Committees
Committee Members
• They should be appointed with the following focus
Do they have skills, experience and commitment to
contribute effectively?
• Volunteers – match needs of committee to skills and
interest of members
• Number depends on amount and nature of committee’s
work
Valuable tool for developing and testing new leadership

18. Effective Committees
An effective meeting is:
• Effectively led
• Participatory
• Agenda focused
• Result oriented
Meeting Management

19. Effective Committees
Great committee meetings don’t just happen
• Set dates in advance
• Send reminders
• Send agenda with supporting documents
• Start and end on time
• Focus discussion
Meeting Management

20. Effective Committees
• Title of meeting
• Date, time, and location
• Approval of prior meeting minutes
• Old & new business
• Date, time and location of next meeting
Effective Committee Meetings -- Agenda

21. Effective Committees
• Prepare
• Report absence in advance
• Listen
• Speak up
• Ask questions
• Consider all options and share views
Effective Committee Meetings –
Members responsibilities

22. Effective Committees
• Legal document
• Keep accurate records; avoid unnecessary information
• Prepare as soon as possible after meeting
Effective Committee Meetings –
Minutes

23. Effective Committees
• Title of meeting
• Date, time, and location
• People present, excused, absent
• Corrections to previous meeting minutes
• Actions relating to previous meeting
• All motions and outcomes of votes
• Items to be discussed and decided
• Date, time and location of next meeting
Effective Committee Meetings –
Minutes Items

24. Effective Committees
• Details of debates
• Facts of what is said; only include what is done
• Vote count – outcome is enough
Effective Committee Meetings –
NOT to include in Minutes

25. Effective Committees
Accountability
• Written committee function
that describes what the board
expects from the committee.
• This should be in line with
the overall vision and mission
of the
institution, measureable
outcome and timelines

26. Effective Committees
Self evaluation/Feedback
• Were the issues discussed substantive?
• Were the materials provided helpful in
understanding/resolving the issues?
• Was the discussion future oriented?
• How can our next meeting be more productive?
• Based on today's discussion, what should we discuss in the
future?

27. Effective Committees
A committee can be a very effective working force of an
organization if the committee has;
Summery
a clear
written
purpose
the
committee
chair is
chosen
based on
leadership
skills
members
are
chosen to
align
committee
needs
with
member
skills and
interest
members are
chosen
strategically
to develop
new
leadership
for the
organization
Committee
meetings are
conducted
efficiently

28. Effective Committees
Breakout Session II
• Form a committee of your choice
• Mention why this committee is
needed
• Set the objectives
• Set timeline of activities
• Identify the required resources
• Make an execution plan

29. Effective Committees