MBA C431

BITS Pilani
Pilani | Dubai | Goa | Hyderabad

Lecture 10
JAYASHREE MAHESH

BITS Pilani
Pilani | Dubai | Goa | Hyderabad

MEETINGS & CONFERENCES

Objectives
Purpose of Meetings
Premeeting Arrangements Agenda, Facilities
Leadership Style
Decision Making Format
Managing Disruptions
Follow up Minutes
Conferences
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Purpose Of Meetings
Informational
Fact finding
Problem solving
Decision making
Coordinating

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Strategic Considerations For Meetings

1) Should we meet
2) Premeeting arrangements
3) Leadership style
4) Decision making format
5) Managing disruptions
6) Follow up
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I -Should We Meet ?
Consider the following:
Has a goal been set for the meeting?
Has an agenda been created ahead of time?
Will the appropriate people be attending?
Can the information be covered in a email or
memo?

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II Premeeting Arrangements
Decision regarding the following:
Determining whom to include
Preparing the agenda and other appropriate
materials
Arranging the physical environment
Making any special requests

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Planning a Meeting
Be clear with objectives : specific objective
Create an agenda : business to be transacted
Prepare in advance : data, steps, details to be
collected, strategies to control, time, venue,
participants, equipment
Plan, discuss and assign roles : facilitator,
recorder, leader, participant , time-keeper

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Participants
As group size increases
Communication gets distorted
Stress increases
Individual participation is low

If group size is small

Engage in superficial discussion
Avoid controversial subjects
Faster and more productive
For regular problems optimum size is 5
Complex problems optimum size is 12 13
Team should involve the members affected by the problem
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Materials
Agenda communicates the following
What - The topic of discussion
Why The goal of each agenda item
When - Time of the day and how long will it last
Who The list of participants

Any other supporting material like handouts

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Why Is An Agenda Important?

Agenda is a guide that specifies what is to be
discussed, when, in what order, and for how long.
Prepares chairman
Prepares attendees
Creates an interest
Clearly defines objectives
Provides a valuable organizational tool
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Information Agenda Includes:

Meeting date, time, location
General information
Agenda/minutes approvals
Agenda items with background/goals
Old/New Business
Summary/ Assignments
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Sample Agenda
XYX CO. Meeting
1. Opening
a. Call to order (President)
b. Invocation
c. Opening ceremony
d. Pledge to flag

2. Roll call and reading of minutes of last meeting

(Secretary)
3. Correspondence
4. Reports
a. Officers
b. Standing committees
c. Special or ad hoc committees
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Sample Agenda
5. Business
a. Unfinished business
b. New business

6. Announcements
7. Program
a. Speakers
b. Educational activities (video or demonstration)
c. Presentation of honours and awards

8. Ceremonies
a. Initiation
b. Installation of officers
c. Granting of honorary memberships

9. Closing ceremony
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Physical Facilities - Room

Match the size of room with size of the group
Check for ventilation and lighting and
comfort of chairs
Check for required equipments like audio
visual aids, writing material, place cards

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Physical Facilities - Room Layout

Theatre

Class room

Hollow Square

U shaped

Banquet style
Board room

BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956

III Leadership Style

Leadership style depends on three factors
Group
The objective of the meeting
The style the manger feels comfortable with

Strategies to maximize teams effectiveness

Be a facilitator
Support the team
Delegate
Seek diversity
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IV Decision Making Format

Rational Decision Making Format / Reflective
Thinking
The Nominal Group Technique
The Delphi Technique

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Problem Solving Methods in Meetings

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Decision-Making Options
Consensus:
group

Unanimous

members

agreement

concerning

among
particular

decision.
Voting: Imposing the will of the majority (in most
cases).

Risks

having

some

members

uncommitted to the decision hold a negative

attitude toward the other members.
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V-Managing Disruptions - Prevention

Seven preventive tactics to manage disruptions
i. Before the meeting ask for the disrupters cooperation
ii. Give the person a special task or role in the meeting
iii. Work out your differences before the meeting (through a
third party facilitator)
iv. Structure the meeting to include frequent discussions
v. Take all the dominators item of the agenda
vi. Alert the person to the consequences of the disruption
vii.Arrange allies to support you in dealing with the disruptive
behavior of the individual
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Managing Disruption During Meeting

Dealing with emotional conversation one person
to speak at a time, paraphrase each statement, let
everyone take turns.
Move on to next item on agenda to let things cool
Use Delphi technique to ensure everyone gets
involved
Ask participants to jot down points when sensitive
issues are discussed and submit their views
anonymously
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Types of Questions
Overhead Question - anyone in the group may
answer
Direct question to avoid domination or non
participation
Reverse Question directing a question back
to the member who asked it
Relay Question question asked by a group
member relayed to everyone in the group
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VI Follow Up
Action items
To-does assigned to the participants
Record the task, the person responsible and the date to
complete the task

Decisions
The decisions that affect the future choices of the group
should be recorded

Open issues
New issues raised during the meeting but not resolved
should be recorded and carried over to the future
meetings
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Evaluating Meetings
Attendee evaluations
Internal evaluations

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Business meetings - Evaluation

Assess the success
Whether objectives met
Attendance
Were participants well prepared
Did they contribute constructively
How smooth the meeting was
Suggestions for improvement

BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956

Evaluation (contd.)
Group Evaluation: Evaluating the effectiveness of
the group.
Informational: Concerned with the task that the
group is working on.
Procedural: Looks at how well the groups
activities and communication are coordinated.
Interpersonal: Emphasis is on how well the
members of the group work with one another.

Individual
Evaluation:
Evaluating
the
effectiveness of individual group members.
Group Behavior Inventory: Identifies strengths
and weaknesses of group behavior.
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Minutes
Record of the business transacted
Integral part
Helps in post-meeting review
Records important points of discussion and
decisions
To be circulated among participants before
next meeting

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What Do Minutes Contain?

Key points of discussions
Actions to be taken
Assignments given
Deadlines

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Minutes Help You Check:

If you have stuck to what has been decided
If you have completed your tasks in due time
If you have taken proper actions
If you have progressed with your task
If your participation has been active
Which ideas you have contributed

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Preparing Minutes
Follow the format of the meeting agenda and include:
The committee number and title, date/location of
meeting, and time called to order
An accurate summary
conclusions reached

of

the

decisions

and

The assignments that were made

The follow-up action required
Time of adjournment and notice of the next meeting
date, time and location
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Sample Minutes
[NAME OF ASSOCIATION XYZ CO.]
BOARD MEETING [DATE]
Meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. at the management
office meeting room. Quorum was established.

Attendees Present:
1. Bob Leader, President
2. Jim Writer, Secretary
3. Connie Candue, Vice President
4. Betsy Spender, Treasurer
5. Association Attorney, Lazega & Johanson LLC
6. Riley Reliable, Association Manager

Absent:
1. Norton Noshow, member, excused

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BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956

Contd.
Approval of Minutes:
Motion: To approve Minutes from June 1st Board meeting
Vote: Unanimous approval
Resolved: The minutes of the January 9, 2005 meeting are
approved as corrected and entered into the Association
records

Reports:
Treasurer's report given by Betsy Spender.
Management report given by Riley Reliable. Written
reports presented and maintained in Associations records.
Collections report given by attorney Lazega & Johanson
attorney.
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Contd.
Business:
Motion: Hire Pool R Us to resurface pool for $26,000.
Vote: Motion Disapproved - One in Favor, two opposed,
one abstaining.
Motion: Have Riley Reliable contact Lazega & Johanson to
amend the association to restrict leasing in the community.
Vote: Motion Approved Unanimously
Resolved: That the Association contact Lazega & Johanson
to amend the association to restrict leasing in the
community.

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Contd.
Motion: Accept Lovely Landscaping Company's written
proposal (maintained in the Association's records) to maintain
the Associations common property, subject to the Association
attorney's review of the contract.
Vote: Motion approved - three in favour, one opposed.
Discussion of recognition that Lovely Landscaping was the
highest bidder, but the consensus is that a good history with
Lovely Landscaping justifies renewing the contract.
Resolved: That the Association accept Lovely Landscaping
written proposal to maintain the Associations common
property, subject to the Association attorney's review of
contract.
Meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m
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Roles in a Meeting
Leader Role convenes the meeting
Facilitator Role Keeps discussion and
decision making process moving along
Recorder Takes notes on paper, laptop, flip
charts
Timekeeper reminds leader when time is up
for a given item in agenda
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BITS Pilani, Deemed to be University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956

Important Meeting Terminologies

Agenda: Guide that specifies what is to be
discussed, when, in what order, and for how
long.
Roll Call: Attendance check.
Quorum: Number of members required to be
present for a group to conduct business
officially.
Reading the Minutes: Summarization of what
took place in previous group meetings.
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Conference
Conference is the gathering of a particular set of
individuals
To discuss or present information on a particular
topic in a related field or subject

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Purpose of Conference
Coordinate activities
Build morale
Secure agreement
Brief staff/ clients
Solve problems
Exchange information
Initiate policy
Products launch
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Conducting A Conference
Date and time
Attendees
Conference content
Venue/facilities
Location
Capacity

Facilities
Accommodation
Budget
Conference support
Extra curricular
activities

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Video Conferencing
Effective way to share
limited resources
Reduce travel
expenses
Increase overall
productivity
Location of camera
Practice / be familiar
with equipment

Use voice and body

effectively
Dress appropriately
Format the slides
Maintain face-to-face
connection
Light the space
Break often
Be comfortable
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Web Conferencing
Keep it simple
Keep it short
Get off to a quick start
Ask
relevant
questions
Use a specialist
Complete
pre-flight
checks
Start with the phone

Keep slides simple

Plan
ahead
for
software demos
Hire a professional
moderator
Test and retest
Use both views for
presentation
Anticipate glitches
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