The document provides guidance on conducting effective meetings for boards of cooperatives. It discusses important considerations before meetings such as justifying the need for the meeting and setting clear objectives. It also recommends separating creative from routine meetings. During meetings, the chairman should allow all views to be expressed while keeping discussions on track and focused. Meetings should have a clear agenda, timetable, and procedures documented in minutes. The goal is to have productive discussions, make timely decisions, and maximize member participation and output.

1. Prepared by: Jo B.Bitonio
Presenter/Discussant
4)

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
TRY TO AVOID
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

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
Administrative Matters First
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

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
Debate/Decide/Direct (DDD)
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. 24. At the last part of the meeting –
The Secretary is requested by the
Chair to announce resolutions
approved or action points agreed
upon
you
25.Ask a motion for adjournment
25. Thank every one for their
contribution. Conclude firmly & tidily
motion for
adjournment
Thank you
resolutions

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

38. Resources
•Andres Felipe Camargo Benavides & Michel Ehrenhard (2021).
Rediscovering the Cooperative Enterprise: A Systematic Review of
Current Topics and Avenues for Future Research | SpringerLink
Santiaguel, Emmanuel (2021) Governance Issues in Cooperatives
Slide 1 (cda.gov.ph)
Basilia (2019. Cooperative Governance
https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/7107

39. • Shaw, Linda. 2006. Overview of Corporate Governance Issues for Co-
operatives
GCGF_Discussion_Paper_Corporate_Governance_Issues_for_Cooperati
ves_070108.pdf
• UNESCAP (2009). What is Good Governance.
good-governance.pdf