Chapter 11

STRATEGIES FOR
SUCCESSFUL BUSSINESS
AND GROUP MEETINGS

BUSHRA FARZANA MUSTANSIR

 GROUPS

– They keep minutes and spend hours.

– A meeting is a gathering of two or more
people where purposive discourse
occurs. This purpose vary.
 TYPES OF GROUPS
 INFORMAL (UNPLANNED, FREE
FLOWING DISCOURSE)
 FORMAL (CLEAR, PLANNED PURPOSE)
 INFORMAL GROUPS
 Casual or informal groups
meeting are common.
 A chat over a cup of coffee, meet
after work, or get together for
purely social occasions.
 FORMAL GROUP
 Often called task- oriented groups,
often search for answers to problems.
 Look for course of actions.
 Making recommendations.
 FORMATION OF
GROUPS
 Forming: here the group tries to get
started. It is the orientation phase for
group members.
 Storming: members begin to stake out
their positions; they begin to have
conflicts and arguments.
 Norming: progress begins here members
work to solve conflicts and recognize
acceptable kinds of conducts.
 Performing: group achieves its goal.
 FORMATION OF
GROUPS
 Orientation: discussion is free- flowing,
focus on asking questions. Members try
to inform and ask questions.
 Conflict: evidence in support of their
position.
 Emergences: open exchanges continue;
ways of solving problem.
 Solutions: positive attitude exists at this
phase. To complete the taks and agree
on a solution.
 PURPOSES AND KINDS
OF MEETINGS
1. INFORMATION MEETINGS
 Reports on the company’s strategic
plans for the next fiscal year.
 Announcement of the new mission
statement.
2. Suggested solution
meetings
 The manager and the review
committee review all
recommendations.
 The meeting is exploratory and
informational.
 Final recommendation is made for
higher approval or group consensus.
 P.g 194
 3. PROBLEM-SOLVING
MEETINGS:
 The major problem is presented
early in the meeting.
 Participants suggest solution,
discussion and evaluation.
 Participants arrive at a decision for
further action.
SOLVING PROBLEMS IN
MEETINGS OR GROUPS
 AUTHORIZATION FOR A COMMITTEE:
 EXAMPLES ON PG 195.
METHODS OF SOLVING
PROBLEMS IN MEETINGS
 Use intuition (rapid insight into a
problem).
 Rationalization (justification of
solution overtime)
 Scientific, reflective thinking
(logical progression)
 To arrive at an answer.
 STEPS IN PROBLEM
SOLVING MEETINGS
 Background analysis,
 Solution discovery solution
evaluation and
 Choice of action.
 BACKGROUND
ANALYSIS
 You sense a problem
 You feel something is wrong
 Hear contradictor stories (welcome
to frustration).
 Assemble a group
 The following are the three steps:
 The following are the
three steps:
1. State the problem or question in an
Affirmative tone.
2. Define and limit the problem.
3. Collect facts on the history of the
problem.
 SOLUTION DISCOVERY

1. Establish criteria:
 Solution must be acceptable.

 It should have little impact.

 It should be adequate (favorable).

2. List possible solutions:

 SOLUTION EVALUATION
 Formulating a list of tentative
suggestion.
 See the reasons about the solutions.
LEADERSHIP
RESPONSIBILIES IN
MEETINGS
 KINDS OF LEADERSHIP
 LOOK AT FIG 9.1
 AUTHORITARIAN
 Avoid the following characteristics:
 To show contempt for some
members,
 Dominates the discussion,
 Praises those who agree with the
position,
 They do not belong to group
meetings
LEADERLESS
 The leader delegates all direction and
decision- making steps to others.
 The person believe in shared leadership,
allowing high – ability people to run the
meetings.
 Sometimes there is a need of guidance
and feedback
 Democratic,
Participative
 Living in democracy.
 Major goal is to help the group make
the best decisions rather to force
them into it.
 Business discussions take time, are
frequently disorganized, are in need
of good guidance before during and
after a meeting.
 Planning steps before
the meeting
1. Review the problem and determine
the precise purpose.
2. Decide who should participate.
Communication Probe
 Smaller groups have more
speaking occurs, due to diversity
of talent, interest and
interrelationships.
 As the group increases vise versa.
3. Arrange for meeting
date, time, place
 Emails are good reminders.
 Avoid Friday afternoon. Through
Tuesday to Thursday are
desirable.
 Room change. Both oral and
email and follow ups should be
used.
Create an Agenda
 It is the road map of what will be
covered in the meeting.
 Fact questions are discussed.
 Value questions.
 Policy or procedure questions
Distribute the
announcement for the
meeting
 After the agenda is laid for the
meeting now it could be decided
on who, what, when, and where,
ready to send the announcement.
 P.g 206
Check on physical
arrangements
 Seating pattern.
 Determine what kind of materials
are needed in the room.
 Availability of the usual electronic
visual aids.
 Procedures during the
meeting
 Begin with an opening statement.
 Stimulate discussion
 Understand the roles of the
participants (p.g 208)
 Interpret data for solution evaluation
 State the major conclusions and
plan of action
 Participant
responsibilities in
meetings
 Preparation for meetings.
 Effective participant roles in
meetings
 Effective participant
roles in meetings
1. Organizer
2. Clarifier
3. Questioner
4. Factual contributor
5. Energizer
6. Idea Creator
7. Critical Tester
8. Conciliator
9. Helper of others 9.5