MM1950 Chapter 4 - Meetings

Question 1

Describe the importance of business meetings.

OR

Why are business meetings important for the companies?

Answer 1

Importance of Business Meetings:
1) Conflicts are discussed and resolved.

2) Better decisions are considered and made.
3) Team members realize their importance and worth.
4) Time, effort, and money are well spent.
5) A medium for feedback and continuous improvement.
6) Improves Employee engagement.
7) Maintains teamwork.

Important Note:
According to research from Harvard, executives spend up to 18 hours per week in meetings.

Question 2

What are the reasons for setting up ‘Meetings’?

OR

What is the purpose of having a business meeting?

OR

Why are business meetings held?

OR

Explain the difference between informational/motivational meetings and decision-making meetings.

Answer 2

Reasons for a Meeting:

• Explains a plan or a program.
• Specifies what needs to be done.
• Trains employees.
• Gains support for an idea or change.
• Defines or solves a problem.
• Gains consensus for a decision.
• Set goals.
• Brainstorming

The difference between informational meetings and decision-making meetings

Informational/Motivational Meetings:

• Explain a plan or a program.
• Specify what needs to be done.
• Train employees.
• Gain support for an idea or change.

Decision-Making Meetings:

• Define or solve a problem.
• Gain consensus for a decision.
• Set goals.
• Brainstorming

Question 3

Explain the term ‘Brainstorming’. Describe its two types.

OR

What is Brainstorming? Explain the structured and unstructured brainstorming.

OR

Describe the importance of Brainstorming in business meetings.

OR

Why is Brainstorming important on Decision-Making Meetings?

Answer 3

(There are 2 answers. Learn anyone of them. No need to know both.)
Brainstorming: The combination of ideas, suggestions, and recommendations by all the team members in a meeting to find a solution to a given problem is called ‘Brainstorming’.

Types:
There are two types of brainstorming.
1) Structured Brainstorming
2) Unstructured Brainstorming

1) Structured Brainstorming:
Structured brainstorming occurs when the ideas of each team member are organized in such a way that their opinion is expressed one after the other.

2) Unstructured Brainstorming:
Unstructured brainstorming occurs when there is no specific moment for a single member to express his/her opinion. This may cause the problem between members.

OR

Brainstorming:
Brainstorming is the offering of ideas or suggestions by all members at a meeting. It is often used during meetings to find a solution to a problem.

Types:
Two main types of Brainstorming are commonly used during meetings:
1) Structured Brainstorming
2) Unstructured Brainstorming

1) Structured Brainstorming occurs when each person is given a turn to express their opinion, concern, or idea. The opportunity to speak rotates among participants. Participants wishing to express their idea must wait their turn.
2) Unstructured Brainstorming occurs when participants are allowed to express their ideas as they wish. No rotation or waiting for turns is involved. Although this creates a very relaxed atmosphere, the problem of domination by one or two members may arise.

Question 4

What is ‘Agenda’? What should it include?

OR

Why is agenda used in business meetings?

OR

What is the purpose of a Meeting Agenda?

Answer 4

Agenda/Meeting Agenda:
A list of topics to be discussed and acted upon during a meeting is called an ‘Agenda’.

It is arranged in such a way that important topics are listed first.

An agenda should include:

• Name of the chairperson.
• Location and date of the meeting.
• Name of the group.
• Starting and ending times of the meeting.

Question 5

Describe the process of conducting meetings.

OR

How are business meetings conducted?

OR

How to conduct a business meeting?

Answer 5

Conducting Meetings:

• Meetings should begin promptly at the scheduled time.
• Encourage participation by everyone.
• Note-taking.
• Review and re-state the key points.
• End a meeting at the time specified.

Question 6

Describe the roles of each meeting participant.

OR

Describe the roles of the following members:

1) Chairperson
2) Minute Taker
3) Participants

OR

What are the roles of different team members in a meeting?

Answer 6

1) Chairperson:
Directs the meeting, moving from one topic to another and keeping the meeting on schedule.

2) Minute Taker:
Prepares the minutes, including a summary of all topics discussed, decisions, and follow-up to be made.

3) Participants:
Prepared for the meeting and have a clear understanding of the purpose of the meeting. Respectful of group members by arriving on time and leaving personal problems at the door. Supportive and listen to all group members.

Question 7

What are the different ways to record the meeting minutes?

OR

How are meeting minutes recorded?

OR

What are the different ways to record summary notes?

Answer 7

Meeting minutes, or summary notes, are usually recorded using:

• A tape recorder.
• A laptop computer
• Simply hand writing notes as the meeting progresses.

Question 8

What are the reasons for meeting minutes?

OR

What is the purpose of Meeting Minutes?

Answer 8

Two primary reasons for Meeting Minutes are:

1) Provide a record of what was discussed.
2) Provide a listing of actions required.

Explanation:
1) Provide a record of what was discussed:

This is useful for employees that did not attend a meeting or employees who were not with a company during a given time and need to know how a decision was reached or additional information about a particular issue.

2) Provide a listing of actions required:

Meeting minutes detailing what decisions were reached as well as what actions need to be taken. They list who is responsible for completing action items as well as timelines.

Q: What is the importance of Meeting minutes?

Answer:
IMPORTANCE OF MEETING MINUTES:
Meeting minutes provide an important record of proceedings, whether it’s for a corporate staff meeting, a board meeting at a nonprofit organization, or an informal committee meeting. Being able to quickly take notes keeps meetings on track and provides a clear summary to those who weren’t able to attend. To streamline the process of taking meeting minutes, simply use a template that is formatted to fit your needs.

Question 9

What is the importance of closing a meeting? Who should close the meeting and how?

Answer 9

Closing a meeting by debriefing and allowing participants to express their feelings helps participants feel a sense of accomplishment for their time.
It also provides a good opportunity to schedule the next meeting (if required) and identifies when meeting minutes will be distributed.

The ‘Chairperson’ should close the meeting by:

• Summarizing the key points discussed and the decisions reached.
• Re-stating the tasks assigned.
• Re-stating the progress accomplished.