Communication & Presentation

Skills

Group Communication part 2

Meetings
• Meetings are structured group
discussions with a set agenda,
time, and duration.
• They can be effective, ineffective,
or a waste of time.
• Proper organization is key to
maximizing efficiency.

• Teleconferencing and videoconferencing are popular due to technology.

• Teleconferencing reduces participation costs and travel time.

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Purposes of Meeting
• Two purposes:

1. Informational: Share information and

coordinate actions, often through
briefings followed by questions.

2. Decision-making: Focus on
persuasion, analysis, and problem-
solving, with brainstorming and
debates on alternatives.

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Example: Meetings for Informational Purpose
Communicate important or e.g., rejection of a major proposal
sensitive information

Explore new ideas and concepts e.g., changes in work patterns

Provide feedback e.g., employees’ reactions to a

new bonus scheme

Present a report e.g., annual accounts at a Board

Meeting

Gain support for an idea or project e.g., new product designed by the
research division

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Examples: Meetings for Decision-making purpose

To reach a group decision e.g., to decide promotions for

employees
To solve a problem e.g., emergency meetings to solve
crisis
To reconcile a conflict e.g., to decide strategies
To negotiate an agreement e.g., meet to decide the course of
action before the actual negotiation
To win acceptance for a new e.g., to explain the benefits of a new
idea, plan or system scheme to convince others

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Meeting Preparation
• Before calling a meeting, ask yourself:
• What is my objective?
• Is the timing right?
• How much will it cost?
• If yes, then determine:
• Time
• Duration
• Agenda
• Participants
• Venue
• Set-up

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Preparation: Time

• Scheduling guidelines:

• Choose a time when participants are at their best.

• Start at an unusual time and end at a natural break.

• Allow ample time for preparation.

• Avoid surprise meetings.

Crisis or emergency meetings require minimal scheduling, but timing

still impacts the outcome.

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Preparation: Duration

• Duration depends on the meeting type, agenda complexity, and

sensitivity.
• If there are too many topics, hold a second meeting instead of
overloading one.
• More participants = shorter meetings.
• Small groups can focus longer; large groups get distracted faster.

• For long meetings, allow time for breaks to reduce fatigue and
boost productivity.

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Preparation: Agenda

• Distribute a written agenda in advance (preferably one week

before).

• Keeps the meeting on course and make sure objectives are met.

• Serves as a planning tool for participants and a control tool for

the leader.

Develop the agenda once meeting objectives are clearly defined.

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Preparation: Agenda

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Preparation: Participants
• Unproductive meetings often result from having the wrong people
in attendance: Invitations should be purposeful, not political.

• Invite the optimum number of participants based on the meeting

type.

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Preparation: Venue and Setting

• Meeting room choice impacts meeting quality and productivity.

➢ Carefully select and set up the room for optimal results.

➢ Reserve the room early to ensure availability.

➢ If unavailable, find a similar room or consider postponing.

• The meeting type influences both room choice and setup.

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Meetings Setting

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Procedure of Meeting
Responsibilities of the chairperson to make meeting effective:
1. Getting the meeting off to a good start
2. Encouraging participation
3. Drawing silent types into the discussion
4. Joining the discussion
5. Managing emotions
6. Dealing with late comers
7. Managing conflict
8. Injecting humour
9. Ending the meeting

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1. Good start of Meeting

• Chairperson sets the tone and

establishes ground rules and
objectives.

• Outlines problems, objectives, and

procedures.

• Provides relevant information for

discussion.

• Defines boundaries and constraints of the discussion.

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2. Encouraging Participation

A leader should encourage participation by:

• Avoiding domination or dismissing ideas.

• Asking open-ended questions.

• Framing problems positively.

• Engaging introverts and limiting extroverts.

• Staying focused on the meeting's purpose and time.

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3. Drawing Silent Types into the Discussion
 Silence Categories:

• General agreement with no contribution

• Silence of diffidence (Shyness)
• Silence of Hostility

 Leader’s focus:
• No concern for general agreement silence.
• Address shyness by gently encouraging participation and valuing input.
• Handle hostility by identifying the issue and encouraging involvement.

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4. Joining the Discussion

• Leader should remain neutral and facilitative.

• If advocating a point, do so later to avoid influencing the group

prematurely.

• Exception: If the leader has relevant knowledge or experience,

sharing it may be necessary.

• Leader can be a fair-minded, even-handed participant contributing

for the common good, not just an impartial moderator.

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5. Managing Emotions

• Leaders should be aware of both the written

and hidden agendas.

• "Hidden agenda" refers to participants'

unspoken motives and aspirations.

• Hidden agendas may conflict with the group’s

main goals.

• They reveal what people want, beyond what

they say.

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6. Dealing with Latecomers
To deal with latecomers in a meeting:

• Acknowledge arrival without

interrupting.

• Briefly update on missed key points.

• Set clear expectations for

punctuality.

• Prevent latecomers from disrupting

discussion.

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7. Managing Conflict

• Conflict is inevitable when differing views meet, but not

always negative.

• Conflict can enhance decisions, creativity, and innovation.

• The best solutions often come from diverse perspectives.

• Not all conflict is productive; leadership management

determines its outcome.

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8. Injecting Humour

• Humor can ease tension, make

bad news easier, or address
sensitive topics in meetings.

• Real-life humor is more

impactful than jokes.

• Leaders should encourage appropriate humor and discourage

inappropriate jokes.
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9. Ending the Meeting

Close the meeting once all agenda items are covered or no further progress
can be made, regardless of time.

• The leader should:

➢ Summarize accomplishments and pending tasks.

➢ Recap actions for participants.

➢ Set a tentative date for the next meeting (if needed).

➢ Acknowledge any progress, even if full objectives

aren’t met.

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Follow-up: Minutes of meeting

➢ After the meeting, the secretary prepares the minutes.

➢ The secretary takes notes and drafts the minutes to be read and
signed by the chairperson at the next meeting.

➢ Minutes serve as a record of what happened during the meeting.

➢ They remind participants of actions they need to take.

➢ They show the decision-making process.

➢ They act as a repository of information for future reference.

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Types of meeting Minutes
• Formal Minutes:
• Provide a full account of everything that happened.
• Focus on each agenda item, no matter how minor.
• List all attendees, issues discussed, and decisions made.

• Informal Minutes:
• Stay true to the planned agenda, like a detailed script.
• Lean towards flexibility and spontaneity.
• Focus on key points or actions, not every minor detail.

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Conferences

• Conferences gather people with similar interests to share ideas.

• Discussions lead to suggestions or recommendations.

• They involve more participants and topics than seminars or

symposiums.

• Activities include lectures, exhibitions, and presentations.

• Institutions often partner with businesses during conferences.

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Conferences: Significance
• Promote critical thinking and problem-solving.

• Attendees identify issues and explore solutions.

• Expert speakers guide decision-making.

• Train employees and shape attitudes.

• Provide insights on policies and goals.

• New employees learn from experienced staff.

• Management addresses issues tactfully.

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Conferences: Planning and Preparation
• Choose a broad topic and narrow it down after member input.

• Identify discussion-worthy issues.

• Prepare a list of potential conferees.

• Set the conference date.

• Select and confirm the chief guest.

• Plan session topics and assign key roles (chairperson, vice

chairperson, speaker).

• Create an invitee list.

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Conferences: Planning and Preparation
• Estimate budget and set registration fee.

• Finalize theme, sponsors, dates, and organizers.

• Prepare a brochure with key details (theme, host, issues, travel,

registration, contacts).

• Create a covering letter for the brochure.

• Form committees and allocate tasks.

• Plan at least three months in advance.

• Meet regularly with committee members for updates.

• Prepare a conference evaluation form.

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Conferences: Procedure
• Ensure all invitees receive the necessary information.
• Organize replies and make the required arrangements.

1. Transport & 7. Preparation of a souvenir ceremony

Accommodation 8. Invitations for inaugural and
2. Reception & Seating concluding sessions
3. Projection facilities 9. Abstracts of all papers to be
4. Identifying volunteers presented

5. Timings and duration 10. Production of required materials to

of the sessions be distributed

6. Lunch and tea breaks 11. Venue setting

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Conferences: Execution

• Welcome participants and ensure their comfort.

• Introduce the theme and session details at the opening.

• Conferences last 1-3 days; use parallel sessions for large groups.

• Distribute evaluation sheets for feedback.

• Prepare a post-conference report with session and participant details.

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 Sample cover letter

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