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Файл:Functional English for university students (for economists and managers). Учебное пособие
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8 Unit 8 Meetings
8.1 Taking part in a meeting
Introduction
I Discuss the following questions
1 What are the main reasons for holding a meeting?
2 What is the role of the chairperson?
3 Why are so many meetings unsuccessful?
II Describe a meeting that you have attended recently. How effective was it
and why?
8.2 Read and translate the text "Different kinds of meetings"
Business people spend quite a lot of time in meetings, and meetings come in all
shapes and sizes, ranging from formal committee meetings to informal one-to-one
meetings.
There are several reasons why meetings are held:
reaching decisions in a meeting means that all the participants can feel
more committed to the decision
more information is available
different and unexpected ideas can be contributed
meetings can lead to more imaginative and informed decisions – often
more courageous decisions than one person might feel brave enough to make.
Some of the drawbacks of meetings are:
more time is required than if one person made the decisions
there’s more talk (and this is sometimes irrelevant and repetitive)
there’s more group pressure.
The larger the meeting, the longer it may take to reach a decision. There seem
to be ideal sizes for meetings, depending on the purpose. A meeting where
information is being given to people can be quite large, because there is not likely to
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be much discussion, and questions may be asked by a few individuals on everyone
else’s behalf.
The way a committee operates often depends on the chairperson: he or she
may control the proceedings very strictly, or let everyone speak whenever they want.
An effective chairperson should be flexible. In some committee meetings the
members have to take a vote before a decision can be made: formal proposals or
"motions" may have to be tabled, seconded and discussed before a vote can be taken.
Other may require a consensus of the members: everyone agrees with the decision –
or at least no one disagrees.
Most meetings have an agenda. For a formal meeting, this document is usually
circulated in advance to all participants. For an informal meeting, the agenda may be
simply a list of the points that have to be dealt with. The purpose of an agenda is to
speed up the meeting and keep everyone to the point. The agenda for a formal
meeting must be organized in logical order. Often the agenda shows not only the
topics but the meeting’s function regarding each topic ("to receive a report on…", "to
confirm…", "to approve…", etc.). All items on which a decision is to be taken should
appear on the agenda, which would usually have this format:
1 Minutes of previous meeting
2 Matters arising
3 Items
Any other business (AOB)
Taking minutes, and writing them up later, are special skills, involving
decisions like "Do we need to know which person made every point?" and "Is this
point worth mentioning?" Minutes usually report details of the time, date and
duration of the meeting and the names of those present, but the content of the report
itself may be detailed or brief, depending on the anticipated readership.
Even one-to-one or small informal meetings are structured (usually with an
agenda) and planned. They are different from chance conversations in a corridor or
over coffee. Small informal meetings may also take place or continue during a meal.
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8.3 It has been estimated that eleven million meetings take place every
day in the United States – so meeting must answer a real human need!
For a meeting to be effective, an agenda must be drawn up and circulated
to all participants in advance. The agenda is a list of what will be discussed and
follows a fixed order.
The following five items appear on every agenda. Use the explanations to
put them in their correct places
next meeting / minutes of the previous meeting / AOB / apologies / matters
arising
e.g. 1 = apologies
AGENDA
1 ______________________________ (verbal or written and from
those unable to attend)
2 ___________________________________________________ (notes
from last meeting)
3 ___________________________ (discussion about what has
happened as a result of the last meeting)
4 ________________________________ (anything else that
participants wish to discuss)
5 ________________________________ (time, date and place of the
following meeting)
MINUTES
Minutes are normally taken by a secretary and signed by the chairperson to
show that they are a correct record. Minutes can be long and almost word for word or
they can be very brief, but they always include the following five facts.
Compete the list by inserting the missing words.
decisions place held present chaired absence closed
e.g. 1 = held
The time and date of the meeting, where it was __ (2) __ and who __ (3)
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__ it.
The names of all those __ (4) __ and apologies for __ (5) __.
All agenda items discussed and all __ (6) __ reached.
The time at which the meeting __ (7) __.
The time, date and __ (8) __ of the next meeting.
8.4 Vocabulary
Complete the following sentences with appropriate words from the list
agenda casting vote consensus minutes circulate apologies
chairperson items arising conduct
1 In all formal meeting and most informal meetings, there is a
………………whose job it is to ……………… the business of the meeting and to
ensure that the meeting’s objectives are achieved.
2 It is helpful in both formal and informal meetings to have an ……………,
listing the points that are to be discussed. It is usual to ……….……. this in advance
so that participants can prepare adequately for the meeting.
3 If there are too many…………… on the agenda; it is inevitable that the
meeting will be over-long and so less effective.
4 After formal meetings, the secretary writes up the …….………, an official
record of the discussion that has taken place.
5 If you cannot attend a meeting, it is customary to send your …………… to
the chairperson, who reads out the names of any absentees at the beginning of the
meeting. After naming absentees, the chairperson may ask if there are any matters
…………... out of the minutes of the last meeting.
6 When decisions must be taken, the chairperson hopes there will be a
…………… on what should be done. Otherwise, a vote must be taken and sometimes
the votes for and against are equal. If this happens, the only way to break the
deadlock is for the chairperson to give his or her …………….
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8.5 Read the text and complete the following chart
Make meetings work for you.
Do you dread meetings more than Monday mornings? Do you find them
boring, unproductive and far too long? Meetings are central to most organizations:
people need to know what their colleagues are doing and then take decisions based on
shared information and opinions. How well you present yourself and your ideas, and
how well you work with other people is crucial to your career.
Running a meeting.
Only call a meeting if you (and your colleagues) are quite clear about its
purpose. Once you are certain of your objective, ask yourself whether it could be
better achieved through alternative means, such as a memo. Meetings called on a
routine basis tend to lose their point. It’s better to wait until a situation or problem
requires a meeting. If in doubt, don’t waste time having one.
If you’re sure a meeting is the solution, circulate a memo several days in
advance specifying the time and place, objectives, issues to be discussed, other
participants and preparation expected. Meetings should be held in the morning, if
possible, when people are usually more alert, and should last no more than an hour.
Six is the optimum number of participants for a good working meeting. Inviting the
whole department (more than 10) increases emotional undercurrents such as, "Will
my suggestions be taken seriously?" Larger meetings can be productive as
brainstorming sessions for ideas, provided participants can speak freely without
feeling they will be judged.
A successful meeting always leads to action. Decision should take up the bulk
of the meeting minutes, including the name of the person delegated to each task, and
a deadline for its completion. Circulate the minutes after the meeting and again just
before the next one.
Draw out quieter members of the group. Encouragement helps create a relaxed
and productive atmosphere. Do not single out any individual for personal criticism –
they will silently withdraw, upset and humiliated, or try to come up with excuses
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rather than focusing on the problems in hand. Save critical comments for a private
occasion.
If you’re talking for more than 50 per cent of the time, you’re dominating the
meeting.
Attending a meeting.
However informal the meeting, it always pays to prepare a few key points in
note form to put across or discuss. If you’re unprepared, you will not be able to
concentrate on what your colleagues are saying and others are less likely to listen to
you because you will either waffle or sound hesitant.
Don’t memories note or read them out like a sermon. This inhibits your natural
gestures: the eye contact and body language that is essential to effective
communication.
If you cannot answer a question, don’t be afraid to say, "I don’t know but I’ll
find out and get back to you by…" (give a definite date).
Phrase your criticism and proposals positively. Seek to offer solutions rather
than to complain.
Arrive early and sit close to the chairperson to ensure that you aren’t ignored.
If you’re late, apologies and find a seat quickly and quietly. Don’t try to sneak in as if
you’re invisible.
Table 2 – DOs and DON'ts of a chairperson and participants
-
DOs
DON'ts
1
2
3
Chairperson
1 have a clear purpose
2____________________
3____________________
4____________________
5____________________
6____________________
1 go on for more than an hour
2____________________
3____________________
4____________________
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Continuation of table 2
1
2
3
Participants
1____________________
2____________________
3____________________
4____________________
1____________________
2____________________
3 sneak in if you’re late
8.6 Match the words with the word definitions
1 the person in charge of a meeting
a minutes
2 the people at a meeting
b agenda
3 to go to a meeting
c to send your apologies
4 a list of topics to be discussed
d participants
5 one topic on the list
e chairperson
6 the last topic on the list
f item
7 to make suggestions formally
g second
8 to support a formal suggestion
h propose
9 a method of making a decision
i vote
10 an official record of what was said and/or
decided
j attend
11 to say that you cannot go to a meeting
k any other business (AOB)
12 what needs to be done after the meeting,
and by whom
l action points
8.7 Translate, write transcription of these words and learn them by
heart
1 formal committee meeting;
2 informal one-to-one meeting;
3 to reach decisions;
4 participants;
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5 to be available;
6 to be contributed;
7 imaginative and informed decisions;
8 drawbacks;
9 to be required;
10 irrelevant and repetitive;
11 group pressure;
12 the purpose of a meeting;
13 on behalf of;
14 chairperson;
15 to let everyone speak;
16 to be flexible;
17 to take a vote;
18 motions;
19 to be tabled, seconded and discussed;
20 an agenda;
21 to be circulated in advance;
22 a list of the points;
23 to speed up the meeting;
24 to keep to the point;
25 minutes;
26 duration of the meeting;
27 a casting vote;
28 apologies;
29 absentees;
30 to attend a meeting;
31 to give a casting vote;
32 to break the deadlock;
33 matters arising;
34 AOB;
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35 to be crucial to smb’s career;
36 brainstorming sessions;
37 to focus on the problem;
38 to share information and opinion;
39 to present yourself and your ideas;
40 to be clear about the purpose;
41 to achieve smth through alternative means;
42 to specify the time, place and objectives;
43 to increase emotional undercurrent;
44 to take up the bulk of smth;
45 to draw out smth;
46 to create relaxed and productive atmosphere;
47 to single out an individual;
48 silently withdraw;
49 humiliation (to humiliate);
50 to come up with excuses;
51 to save comments for some other occasion;
52 to dominate the meeting;
53 to waffle or sound hesitant;
54 to read smth like a sermon;
55 to inhibit natural gestures;
56 to phrase smth positively;
57 to offer a solution;
58 to be ignored;
59 to be essential to effective communication;
60 to sneak as if you’re invisible.
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9 Unit 9 Additional texts
9.1 London’s thinnest house sells for $1.3 million
a) Translate the text in writing
Even though house prices are skyrocketing around the world, one property’s
price tag in London is raising eyebrows. A house billed as "the skinniest" in London
is on the market for $1.3 million. In other areas of the UK, one could purchase a
spacious seven-bedroom mansion with sprawling grounds for that sum. However, the
skinny house is just 2 metres wide, although it does have five floors. The twobedroom house is in west London and is being sold by real estate agent Winkworth.
The agent said: "It started life as a hat shop and was converted by a fashion
photographer - the ultimate designer house.... It’s quirky and charming and great for
entertaining."
The eye-catching property is just 1.6 metres at its narrowest point and is 8
metres long. There is a kitchen, dining room and patio garden on the first floor. On
the second floor there is a living room, with a spiral staircase that leads up to the third
floor, which has a study, bedroom and roof terrace. The main bedroom is on the fifth
floor. Despite its cramped space, Winkworth says it is a one-of-a kind abode. It said:
"The interior design has the bespoke approach of a luxury yacht, making the most of
small spaces." It added that: "The house is ideal for a young couple or an individual
who sees the beauty for what it is and will snap it up. It is a unique part of London
history. It’s a bit of London magic."
b) Writing. Compose a dialogue or a monologue on the problem, express
your point of view
All house prices should be fair and set by the government.
c) Are these statements true or false?
a) The article says house prices are skyrocketing around the world. T / F
b) The house for sale in London has seven bedrooms. T / F
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