Meetings: Action points

1. Lead-in
Students discuss the questions
a. What must always happen by the end of a meeting? Of course this depends to some
extent on the meeting, but most meetings need to end with a clear focus on what has been
agreed, and specifically what actions are going to be taken. Other important things include
thanking participants, giving them a final chance to ask questions or raise issues not on
the agenda, and formally closing the meeting so that participants know they can leave.
b. What exactly are Action Points? Things that participants have agreed to do after the
meeting.
c. What steps can we take in order to make Action Points as effective as possible? We
normally need to include five key pieces of information: What exactly does the action point
involve?;Who is responsible for performing the action point?; Who will monitor that
persons progress?; What is the deadline?; and What will happen on that deadline?
In addition, it is important to put Action Points in writing and to send them round to all
participants and other stakeholders for approval. Finally, it is vital that Action Points are
followed up in the next meeting, or preferably well before the next meeting.

2. Dialogue
Distribute the worksheets so that everyone has a copy. Go through the Five Key Questions
with the class to compare them with students own ideas from question (c) above. Students
then read the dialogue to answer the question. They compare their answers in pairs and
then feed back to the class.

Lara: OK, so weve done really well today in terms of coming up with ideas. I think
now its time to firm things up a little and try to take some of these ideas forward
as action points. Er we talked about setting up a crche for employees
children, and I think we all agreed this would be something to investigate
further. Arnie, you said theres a crche in our Stockholm office. Can I task you
with finding out as much as you can about it?
Arnie: Sure, no problem. Ill be seeing some of the reps from Stockholm in a couple of
weeks, so Ill ask them about it when I see them.
Lara: Well, could you send them an email instead? Id really prefer not to have to wait
several weeks. I think wed need an answer in good time for next months
meeting, where Id like you to report back on your findings.
Arnie: OK thats fine. What exactly do you want me to ask in my email?

The Five Key Questions for Action Points

What exactly does the action point involve? Email Stockholm Office to find out about
crche and get an answer
Who is responsible for performing the action point? Arnie
Who will monitor that persons progress? none
What is the deadline? Next months meeting
What will happen on that deadline? (How will it be checked and followed up?) Arnie to
report back to meeting
3. Discussion
Discuss with the class whether it is a problem that not all the Key Questions are
answered for each Action Point. They need to be answered by the end of the meeting, but
there is usually a summing-up stage at the end, where the chairperson can go through
each Action Point again to make sure all the questions are answered. If no monitor is
appointed, it can be assumed that the chairperson will take responsibility. If no follow-up is
specified, it can probably be assumed that the person will be expected to report back at
the next meeting. However, it is always best never to make assumptions like this, and to
be as clear and specific as possible.

4. Useful phrases for volunteering and delegating

Students work in pairs to try complete the phrases without looking back at the
dialogues. When you go through the answers with the class, elicit more
examples of useful phrases for each function.

Useful phrases for volunteering and delegating

Starting a discussion on action points
OK, so weve done really well today in terms of coming up with ideas.
I think now its time to firm things up a little and try to take some of these ideas
forward as action points.

Delegating and asking for volunteers

Can I task you with finding out as much as you can about it?
Would anyone like to volunteer ?
Roy, can you help Sabina out on that?
Would you like to be more involved?
Well, I think Rachel might be the best person for that.
Rachel, can I delegate that job to you?
And Rachel, can I also ask you to oversee this survey ?

Accepting
Sure, no problem.
OK thats fine.
OK, thats a good point.
OK, fair enough.
Yes, that would be great.
Great. That would be really useful.
Yes, of course.

Volunteering to help
Ill be seeing some of the reps , so Ill ask them about it when I see them.
Yes, I can do that. Ill make a start today.
I mean, would you like me to speak to Niall about ?
Would you like me to organise a staff survey?
We can have a quick meeting tomorrow morning, if you like.

Instructing and setting deadlines

Well, could you send them an email instead?
Id really prefer not to have to wait several weeks.
I think wed need an answer in good time for next months meeting, where Id like you to
report back on your findings.

Asking for clarification and advice

What exactly do you want me to ask in my email?
OK, so can I pick your brains at some stage on exactly how to word the survey?

Making an excuse
Well, I could, but Im really busy at the moment with my regular work.
Dont forget, I dont have any hours allocated to this project.

5. Analysis
1. Which modal verb is most useful for delegating? can (I/you)?
2. Which of the accepting phrases are for accepting a duty no problem; OK thats fine;
Yes, of course., and which are for accepting an excuse? OK, thats a good point;OK, fair
enough.Which are for accepting an offer? Yes, that would be great;Great. That would be
really useful.
3. What two verb forms are most often used for volunteering? will (Ill ) and would like
(Would you like me to ?)
4. What do you notice about the verb forms for instructing and setting deadlines? They all
include modal verbs could and would to make them very polite.
5. What is the most useful word for asking for clarification and advice? exactly

Role-play
You all work for the same organisation. The managers from your head office have
asked you to make your premises more suitable for disabled employees and visitors.

Some of the ideas that you brainstormed included:

installing a lift;
adding a wheelchair ramp to the steps outside the front door;
replacing the traditional heavy front door with sliding doors;
training reception staff how to communicate with deaf people;
making the whole building easier and safer for blind people to explore;
ensuring all safety procedures, including fire evacuation procedures, are designed with
disabled people in mind.

Use these and your own additional ideas to plan a list of action points. Make sure the
five key questions have been answered for each action point. Try to use some of the
useful Phrases from this lesson.

7. Dialogue: closing a meeting

7.1 Read the end of the meeting on making the building more family friendly. In what
order does Lara go through the six steps (af)?

Lara: OK, great, so I think thats about all for the action points, unless theres something
Ive missed? No? OK, so the last point on the agenda is Any Other Business. Is
there anything else we need to discuss at this stage?
Roy: Well, obviously well need to think about budgets at some point.
Lara: Yes, youre right. But I think thats something for our next meeting, once weve got a
rough idea of whats feasible. Is there something specific you feel we need to
discuss now, or can it wait til weve got more information?
Roy: No, its fine to leave it til next time, but Im just worried about wasting a lot of time
 planning, and then thinking about budgets only as an afterthought, six months into
the project.
Lara: OK, thats a good point. Ill add it to next months agenda. Is there anything else?
No? OK, so I just want to go through the list of Action Points. Arnies going to email
Stockholm this week, to find out about their crche and youre going to report
back to us at our next meeting. Is that OK, Arnie?
Arnie: Yes, thats fine. Im going to email them tomorrow, in fact.
Lara: Good. Sabinas going to investigate the legal aspects. Again, youre going to report
back to us in a month, Sabina?
Sabina: Uh-huh. Unless I find something really important, in which case Ill email everyone
straight away.
Lara: Good idea. And Kellys going to have a meeting with Rachel tomorrow morning, to
plan the staff survey is that right?
Kelly: Yes.
Lara: Good and youre also going to report back at our next meeting. Wow, its going to
be a busy meeting. Were also going to start thinking about our budget and costs at
that meeting. Is there anything Ive missed? No? OK, so Ill send round a list of
action points tomorrow morning, and a provisional agenda for the next meeting. I
suppose we could fix a time and date for that meeting now. How about making it
exactly a month from now? Thats Wednesday the 11 th at 10 oclock. Is that OK?
Excellent. Right, so are there any final questions? OK, so thank-you all very much. I
think weve had a really productive meeting.
Loads of really good ideas, and it really feels as if were moving forward with this
project. Please do keep me informed if you have any problems with your action
points. OK, so thanks again everybody, and have a nice day.

a. AOB 1
b. Invite final questions 4
c. Plan the next meeting 3
d. Signal that people can leave 6
e. Summarise the Action Points 2
f. Thank people 5

7.2 Underline the key phrases she uses for each step.
a Is there anything else we need to discuss at this stage?
b Right, so are there any final questions?
c I suppose we could fix a time and date for that meeting now; How about making it
?; Thats at ; Is that OK?
d OK, so thanks again everybody, and have a nice day.
e OK, so I just want to go through the list of Action Points; Is that OK, Arnie?; Is there
anything Ive missed?
f OK, so thank-you all very much; I think weve had a really productive meeting;
Loads of really good ideas, and it really feels as if were moving forward with this
project.

7.3 What do you notice about the verb forms for talking about Action Points?
Why is this different from the earlier part of the meeting?

The speakers use going toto talk about their plans. Earlier in the meeting, they
used will to make decisions.
8. Optional follow-up
Students work in small groups to role-play a meeting to plan how they will continue to learn
English, and especially how they will make sure they remember and use the language and
techniques from this series of lessons. At the end, ask volunteers to report back on the
Action Points they have agreed, and how they will be monitored, checked and followed up.
Finally, ask a volunteer to use the model from exercise 7 to bring the lesson to a close.