10 Meetings 41 To learn how to: chair a meeting; deal with interruptions and digressions Ta learn about: key vocabulary of meetings Lead in + Are business meetings always necessary? Are they ever enjoyable? ‘+ What kind of meetings do you think are most worthwhile? + What kind of meetings do you think are least worthwhile? ‘+ Are meetings sometimes too long? How much time do you spend in meetings, and how could this be reduced? Discussion Meetings are not the same all over the world, Answer the following questions for your company, tr your country or part of the world. + Is punctuality important? Da meetings have to begin exactly on time? + Isitimportant toreach an agreement quickly (ime is money), orare getting to know people and reaching a consensus more important than speed? + Whohnas the power to make decisions ~ an individual {usually the most senior person atthe meeting], ora group? + Isitacceptable to show your emotions ina meeting or negotiation? + Can you suggest parts ofthe world where people generally do these things differently rom in your country? + Do youthink that corporate culture —a company's ways of operating and its values, beliefs and principles ~is more important than the nationality ofthe participants or location of the meeting? Vocabulary - Check your understanding of words and phrases for organizing and controlling meetings (1-6) by matching them with their definitions (af) any other business (408) apologies for absence compromise consensus todigress minutes onnune to move off the subject and start talking about something else a written report distributed to participants after a meeting. often the last item in a meeting, when participants discuss issues not on the agenda a way of reaching agreement in which each side concedes or gives up something it wants the situation in which most or all ofthe people at a meeting agree about something. often the first item in a meeting, concerning people who cannot be presentListening 1: Chairing a meeting 1. You are going to listen to a meeting at the head office of the National Union Bank in London. Before you listen, think of phrases thatthe person chairing a meeting could use todo the following 1 Welcome people to a meeting 2 Bogina mecting 3. Explain the meeting's objectives: =| 4 Introduce the agenda: ‘5. Explain that someone can't come: | '6 Invite someone to speak: (7 Interrupt speaker: | | “8 Stop someone interrupting speaker: 11 Summarize what has been said: | 42 Move on to another item esting it 30 $12 Nowlis to part of the meeting at the National Union Bank, and answer the questions. below. 1 Whats the purpose of the meeting? 2 Which of the following things does the person chairing the meeting do? 2 Change the agenda Introduce the first speaker Refer to the agenda {Ask for participants’ opinions Refer to the previous meeting Set the date of the next meeting Give his own opinion Report apologies for absence State the objective of the meeting Thank people for coming 3. What phrases does the chair use for functions 1, 3 and6 in the table on page 51? Add them to the table, Listening 2: Interruptions and digressions Listen to another part ofthe meeting tthe Nationa Union Bank, and answer the questions below 4 Which of the functions (1-12) inthe table on page S1 does the chardo in this part of the meeting? 2 What phrases does the chairuse for functions 8, and L1 in the table in Listening 1? ‘Add them to the table 3. Are the following statements true or false? 1. The meeting is about whether it's right or wrong to mave the bank's telephone operations to nia, 2 The meetingis about costs that operations to india 3. The Indian staff would require language traning, 4. Susan is worried about the expenses involved in dismissing the British cal centre staff 5 Alice thinks the two Indian companies are asking for too much money 6 Susan doesn't think the bank's customers wil ike having a subcontractors staff ansivering their telephone enquiries sould be involved in moving the bank’s telephone Discussion In the meeting you have just heard, Susan feels free to interrupt Alice, as she feels very strongly about the subject. The chair politely intervenes to stop her interruption and keep the meeting an track. Could you interrupt like this in your culture? What would happen if you did? Noctngs 1Controlling meetings 1 Here are some other phrases used for controlling meetings. Look at the table in Listening 1 and match these phrases to the table categories (1-12). The frst one has been done as an example. There is more than one phrase for some categories [As you can see from the agenda, there are three paints. {think we should move an to the next tapic on the agenda, a Tilike to ask Lisa to tell us about = Its ten o'clock, Let's start — Just a moment. Please, let Lisa finish, _ 1K, like to sum up the main points So far. = One ata time, please. Can we let John finish? _— So, et me summarize that. You mean Sorry, we can’t consider that question at the moment. _— Thank you Frank, | think you've made your point now. = Thank you very much Lisa, for explaining the background = That's not what we're here to talk about. Can we stick to the agenda, please? __ We're here today to talk about... and to decide z Welcome, everybody, Thank you for coming — BOYVLINYIA pgret osm se ance 2 Now write the phrases in the table in Listening 1. Practce OO cs| | 9 MGS Bank has a traineeship scheme which takes on six foreign students for two months every summer. They work on projects, and get two hours of training each week. The training department is having a meeting to discuss various inexpensive options to improve the trainees’ knowledge of finance and English. ‘Your teacher will give you a role to prepare. Use the language for chairing and controlling meetings from this unit Work in groups of four. Student A should look at page 118, Student B at page 127, Student C at page 135, and Student D at page 132, “Well, someone must have wanted this meeting.”12 Meetings 2 To learn how to: conclude a meeting; ask for and give opinions; agree and disagree To practise: holding a meeting about a call centre Lead in Read the quiz below, and then i 7 1. When should you call a meeting? sss the answers in pairs or groups. a Every time your group needs to share information. na meeting is the best way to achieve your objective. ause meetings are nearly always a waste of time. 2 Who should participate? a People wha are good at telling jokes and making meetings fun, b The people who can help fulfl the meeting's objective © The whole department, because you don't want to exclude anyone 3. How can you stop a meeting from going on too long? a You seta time limit in advance and you stick toi. You can't; don’t remember the last meeting | went to that didn't run over time, © You have the meeting in a room without chairs and make everybody stand ~ that way they talk a lot less, 4. At the end of the meeting, what should the leader do? a Set a time and place to continue with the rest of the agenda, b Summarize, and remind al the participants of who is now responsible for what, © Offer to buy everybody a drink. when Vocabulary 1 Cross out the verb in each list that does not make award combination withthe noun on the right. The first one has been done as an example 1. approve / circulate / draw up / go through / hold / put something on an agenda 2. arrive at /break / carry out / implement /reach / take adecision 3 call/callaff/chair/ close /hold / take ameeting 4. approve /distribute /go through /set /take / write the minutes 5 achieve / agree on/ deal with/ move towards / reach /set an objective 6 agree with/ask for / express / find / give / hold an opinion 2 approve / carry out / do/implement / present /reject aplan 8 avoid / deal with / get round / overcome / put / tackle aproblem 9 agree on/ arrive at/ look after / come up with / find / offer asolution 10 agree with / come to/ consider / dismiss / put forward/reject asuggestionBOYYLINYI 2 Complete the sentences using the correct form of verbs from the Vocal lary exercise. 4. Atthe beginning of every meeting, we _____the agenda, and then we appoint someone tothe minutes so we have arecord of what happened. 2 Thatwas the first time I've had to___a meeting, and I found controling ceverybady rather diffcutt. 3. It’sbetterto___ the agenda a couple of days before a meeting, so that people can prepare themselves, 4 Itsveryeasyto __an objectivesit's more difficult to____it. 5 We 2 regular meeting every Monday morning where we tryto any prablems that have come up. 6 Iwas very disappointed because the Board totally___my plan. ?- They argued for an hour, until someone ___ anew suggestion. Asking for and giving opinions, agreeing and disagreeing 1. Look at the following phrases for giving strong opinions. Can you add any phrases for giving neutral or weak opinions? Fm (absolutely) sure {convinced | postive that . Thave absolutely no doubt that Istrongly believe that I definitely think that .. Treally do think that. B's obvious that. Clearly / Obviously .. 2 The following phrases are used to ask for opinions. Which of them show that the speakerhas a different opinion? Do you really think | believe that ..? What's your vieso on ..? Do you think j believe | consider that ...2 Don’t you think that ..? What do you think about ..? Td like 1o hear what you think about Are you absolutely sure | convinced | postive that ..? 3. The phrases below are used for weak or tentative agreement. Can you add any phrases for strong agreement? You may | might | could be right, but. Lagree with you, but . Tagree up to.a point agree to a certain extent. ‘4. Mark the phrases for disagreeing ~Sif they disagree strongly, and Wf the agreement is weak orneutral Really? Do you think so? Leompletely disagree with that. I'm afraid I don’t agree. Tim afeaid I can't agree with thas. Nonsense! | Rubbish! Tim against that, because I'm not totally convinced, because .. Tean't support that, because . Totally disagree toith you. I don’t agree.You are going to practise expressing your opinions, asking your partner's opinions, and agreeing or disagreeing with them. Use the phrases for expressing opinions, agreeing and disagreeing rom the Language focus. Work in pairs, Student A should look at page 119, and Student B at page 128. Listening: Concluding a meeting eg 1 Younregingtolistntetheendofs necting Before youtisen,thinkaboutvnatihe CARER | chair needs to do. What language can be used? 2. InUnit 3, you had a meeting to decide whether the MGS Bank should upgrade and modernize its branches, or try to get its customers to use the telephone and the internet, The bank has chosen to refurbish some ofits branches {to redesign and renovate them) and to relocate others. Listen to the end of a meeting involving the senior managers. What phrases does he choise todo the things ited elon? CEB) End discussion of a point Begin to summarize the decisions that have been taken Make sure that everyone has understood Arrange the next meeting Thank everybody 3. Now match the following phrases (a~g) to the functions (1-5) in the exercise above. Can we leave this point now and move on to the next item? Is January 11 convenient as a date for our next meeting? Id like to surn up the main points. p b ¢ OK. Sowe have decided that e f q Thank you all far coming; I think we've made a lot of progress. Is everyone 0X with that? | don’t think there is any more to be said on this. oooo0o000 4 Complete the action points from the meeting using the words and phrases from the box. back office circulate evening — took for look into property 1 Dry to find shopping centr locations forthe branches in Litt Band contuct 2_____ bak redesign specialists, preferably owes that can do - aed sweckend building work 5 market research dates abowe what custowers expect front a bart 4 Find out whac facilities the staff rant. 5 the minutes by Wednesday. 5 Listen to check your answers, and then say whois responsible for each action point— Claire, Kirsten, Jie, John or Alan Meatngs 2 aWriting Finish the email below with information from Questions 3 and 4 sd woe Oo a be 7 G@ = Date: From: Pat Brady To: John.Henry@ .., Julie Hoyte@ ... Alan Walcott@ ... Claire Connolly@ Ce: Kirsten O'son@ Subject: Action points from yesterday's meeting Kirsten will be circulating the minutes of yesterday's meeting shortly, but meanwfil, here's a summary of the action points and who is responsible for them, ‘As you heard inthe listening exercises in Unit 10, the National Union Bank in London is considering moving its telephone banking operations to India. This would involve closing down its call centre in Britain, and working with a company in India Te telephone answering companies in India employ University graduates who speak English asa second language, but who earn much less than call centre staffin Britain, Even though the bank would have to pay forlong-distance telephone calls (the British customers would still pay 2 local rate, it could savea {ot of money by working with an Indian company. Te bankis having a meeting to decide whether to do this. At the mament there is no consensus: some people are fr the idea and others are against Your teacher will give you a role to prepare. Use the phrases for expressing opinions, agreeing and disagreeing from the Language focus. Work in groups of five, Student A should look at page 4149, Student B at page 128, Student C at page 135, Student O at page 133, and Student Eat page 122.