UNIT 3 NOTES

WHAT IS AN AGENDA?

 It is a list of matters to be discussed at a meeting

 Should be used to keep the discussion on track
 If discussion drifts away, remind the members of the specific agenda items and steer them back
to the main issue
 If an item in the agenda takes more time than planned, do not try to prematurely stop it
 If there is a need for an item to be discussed in detail, think about holding another meeting.

WHAT IS MINUTES OF THE MEETING?

• Minutes are one of the most integral part of an effective meeting

• The details of the discussion, who said what, and the final decision is communicated

• Minutes help in a post meeting review and act as an official record of the company

• It also helps participants understand those points that they may have missed in the meeting.

• Minutes help in a post meeting review and acts as an official record of the company

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN MINUTES OF THE MEETING?

• The names of the Participants

• The agenda items covered

• Decision made by the participants

 • Due dates

TIPS TO IMPROVE MINUTES OF THE MEETING

• Carry a copy of the agenda with you. Follow the agenda closely and use a stopwatch to note
when items begin and end

• If the agenda items have been addressed under the allocated time, the speakers should
finish. The time that is left can be used to address any items that could not be covered
earlier in the discussion.

• Its upto the group to decide to keep on the issue or move on.

• It’s the timekeepers role to let the group know when the speakers time is up. (gestures are
used)

• The timekeepers should also alert the members about the break. (10 minutes before our
break)

WHAT IS THE PUROPSE OF A MEETING?

A meeting is an assembly or gathering of people for a business, social or religious purpose. In a

meeting 2 or more people come together

• To present information to others

• To collaborate- review, evaluate, discuss, decide

HOW TO PLAN A MEETING?

• Be Specific- A clear objective provides clear direction for the meeting.

(example- objective: finalise budget recommendation)

• Create an Agenda- it is an outline of things to be discussed at the meeting along with a time
frame for each item.

(prioritise agenda items in terms of importance to most participants and assign realistic amounts of
time to each agenda item)

• Prepare in advance- allows the meeting to move forward smoothly and eliminates time
wastage.

TYPES OF MEETING (REFER THE PPT)

Barriers to meetings

1. No agenda
Problem:

Without a meeting agenda, the discussion doesn’t have any structure, which gives too much
opportunity to get off-topic and to go over time. When the conversation isn’t organized, it’s
unlikely that you and your team members are going to achieve the meeting goal. Without a
meeting agenda, it’s also not likely that the meeting attendees are going to show up
prepared, ready to participate, and contribute to the conversation.
Solution:

Organize your meeting agenda in advance and collaborate on it with your team members so
that collectively, you can choose which topics are most important to cover. Create meeting
agenda items and allocate a specific amount of time to each one so that the meeting never
runs overtime.

2 Late attendees
Problem:

When meeting attendees show up late, it typically delays the start of the meeting, and more
importantly, it sets the wrong precedent for the entire team. When the meeting leader or
facilitator isn’t firm about punctuality, it sends a message to the meeting attendees about
the importance of the meeting. It’s simply bad meeting etiquette to be late because it
disrespects every other person’s time.

Solution:

Set clear expectations with your team and lead by example. Ask your meeting attendees to
arrive early so that they have some time to set up and prepare for the meeting. Emails,
phone calls, and other conversations can wait until after the meeting. When you set the
precedent that arriving late to a meeting is unacceptable, your team is much less likely to
delay you and the rest of their team.

3 Digressions
Problem:

When the meeting gets off topic and especially when there is no meeting agenda, it’s very
difficult to bring the conversation back to its focus and to achieve the meeting goal. The
problem with digressions is that they tend to take a snowball effect. When one person gets
off track, others tend to follow suit with other discussions they feel are important but that
are completely unrelated to the meeting’s purpose.

Solution:

Start by always using a meeting agenda. If digressions are still taking place even with a
meeting agenda, use the parking lot technique. This is where when ideas arise, you simply
write them down and bring them up at a more appropriate time whether it’s in a recurring
common meeting, an informal discussion, or an email. Encourage your meeting attendees to
write meeting notes with questions so that they can bring them up at an appropriate time.

4 Interruptions
Problem:

Interruptions are an issue in a meeting because they also become digressions. It’s bad
meeting etiquette to interrupt the person who is speaking because it doesn’t show team
members respect when their ideas and perspectives are cut off, without the opportunity to
finish and get their point across. This takes away from the flow of the meeting and pushes it
off track.

Solution:

You can assign specific speakers for specific sections of the meeting if you find that you and
your team struggle with impromptu interruptions. You can also create specific meeting rules
that you and your team can follow so that you don’t need to worry about interruptions.
Raising a hand or using an action such as placing a token in front of your meeting spot when
you’d like to speak is a respectful and amicable way to allow everyone the opportunity to
contribute to the conversation.

5 Lack of participation
Problem:

When there’s a lack of participation in your meetings, it means that there isn’t a great level
of engagement and there’s no opportunity for collaboration either. It’s important that
everyone on the team feels included and that everyone’s opinions are heard. Even when
team members may be shy or timid speaking in front of a group, it doesn’t take away from
the fact that they likely have some great ideas.

Solution:

Consider rotating meeting roles so that everyone has a turn at facilitating and speaking in
front of the group. Alternatively, you can use team-building activities or exercises to really
boost collaboration. Round tables and brainstorming sessions are also great solutions. Lastly,
you can ask your team members to all come prepared to the meeting with one or two
comments or questions to share with the rest of the group.

6 Too much participation… from ONE person

Problem:

If one person is doing all of the facilitating and all of the participating in the meeting, it
means that no one else has the chance to speak and voice their perspectives. If this is a
pattern that continues, it’s going to discourage people from wanting to participate and have
a negative impact on engagement and team motivation.

Solution:

Rotating meeting roles also works as a solution for too much participation from one person.
Another solution is to assign one speaker to each meeting agenda item and to leave some
time for questions and comments at the end of that meeting section so that everyone has an
opportunity to speak and share their ideas.

7 Status updates take all the time

Problem:
If your status updates take the entirety of the meeting, that means that there’s no time for
talking about planning, strategy, issues, obstacles, successes, or innovative ideas- let alone
time to ask questions at the end! Updates are important but they can also be sent via email
and be delivered quickly, without unnecessary details.

Solution:

Put a time limit on the status update section of your meeting so that the meeting doesn’t
become centered on updates alone. Consider sending all of the status updates prior to the
meeting so that everyone can take the time to brief themselves and you can simply go over
them to then discuss what comes next.

8 Failure to include remote employees (in hybrid meetings)

Problem:

When the majority of your team works in the office, it’s easy to forget about your remote
employees or to compromise the quality of their meeting experience. When remote
employees aren’t properly included in meetings due to technologies or time zones, it’s going
to be frustrating and discouraging. When people feel left, they’re much less likely to
participate and add value to the conversation.

Solution:

Preparation is everything when it comes to making sure that your remote employees feel
included and in the loop. It’s really important that ahead of time, you ensure you have the
appropriate technologies set up in order to support your remote employees’ participation in
the meeting. Additionally, it’s important to choose a time that is appropriate for your
remote employees so make sure that your calendar includes their time zone.

9 No clear takeaways
Problem:

Every meeting should have a purpose or a meeting goal, which also means that everyone
should leave the meeting with clear takeaways. When there are no clear takeaways, meeting
participants may wonder about what the purpose of the meeting was in the first place and
the meeting might feel like a waste of time. It’s really important that everyone leaves with a
sense of accomplishment which further motivates them to achieve success.

Solution:

Make sure that you state the purpose or goal of the meeting before it begins so that as the
meeting unfolds, you and your team are working towards that takeaway. Another great way
to be sure there are clear takeaways is to create action items and issue items with due dates,
that are assigned to specific team members so that you can hold one another accountable.

10 Lack of time management (loooong meetings)

Problem:
 If your meetings constantly drag on past their end time, there’s an issue that needs to be
resolved. Time management is important to your personal productivity but it’s also
important in meetings so that the time of each participant is respected. Not only are you not
respecting the time of others when meetings go over time, but it means that there’s at least
one part of the meeting that is dragging on and needs to be condensed and more concisely
delivered.

Solution:

Assign a specific amount of time to each item on your meeting agenda so that you don’t go
overtime. Whatever you don’t achieve during that portion of the meeting can be revisited
another time, depending on the amount of attention and action that it requires. It’s also
going to help if you come prepared with comments and questions that you would like to
contribute under each agenda item.

WHAT IS A SEMINAR

A seminar may be defined as a gathering of people for the purpose of discussing a stated topic.

Such gatherings are usually interactive sessions where the participants engage in discussions about
the delineated topic. 

HOW DO YOU PLAN A SEMINAR?

• The first step towards planning an effective seminar is to determine what the purpose of the
seminar will be.

• Think about the target audience who will participate and what they stand to gain from
attending the seminar.

• Every seminar must have an agenda, so determine what the agenda will be.

• Set a budget for the seminar and work within this budget, and don't get too carried away
with the selection of venue and other considerations that could potentially cost money.

WHAT IS A CONFERENCE?

A conference is generally understood as a meeting of several people to discuss a particular topic. At

a conference, innovative ideas are thrown about and new information is exchanged among experts.

WHAT ARE THE POINTS THAT ARE TO BE CONSIDERED IN A CONFERENCE? (Explain the points)

• Date and Time

• Attendees

• Conference Content

• Venue/Facilities

• Budget

• Conference support
 • Extra-curricular activities

WHAT ARE THE VARIOUS TYPES OF CONFERENCES?

• An academic conference is a gathering of scientists or academicians, where research

findings are presented or a workshop is conducted.

• A business conference is held for people working in the same company or industry. They
come together to discuss new trends and opportunities pertaining to the business

• A trade conference takes place on a larger scale. Besides businessmen, there are members
of the public who come to network with vendors and made new connections. Such a
conference consists of workshops and white paper presentations.

• An unconference differs from the traditional conference, since it avoids the high costs, top-
down organizational hierarchy and sponsored presentations. All attendees are equally
knowledgeable about the topic and the discussion follows an open mode; usually without a
single speaker addressing the gathering.

WHAT IS A GROUP DISCUSSION?

Group Discussion or GD is a type of discussion that involves people sharing ideas or activities.
People in the group discussion are connected with one basic idea. Based on that idea, everyone in
the group represents his/her perspective. GD is a discussion that tests the candidate's skills, such as
leadership skills, communication skills, social skills and behavior, politeness, teamwork, listening
ability, General awareness, confidence, problem-solving skills, etc. The Group Discussion is generally
the next level after the entrance exam to pursue a professional degree. In the case of recruitments,
Group Discussion can be the starting or at the end, depending on different companies or
organizations.

It is not fixed that the group discussion is always performed around the table. People can sit in any
arrangement, but everyone should be able to see every face. It is not only the usual discussion, but it
is also a discussion with knowledge and facts.

Participants in GD

The participants can range from 7 to 12 in a group. The number of candidates in a Group Discussion
depends on the available strength. If the strength is low, the number of participants can range from
5 to 7.

Duration of a GD

The average duration of a Group Discussion is 15 minutes. But, it may vary depending on the number
of candidates in a group. Sometimes, the panelist or judges can extend the discussion for more than
15 minutes. They can also end the discussion in between. The participants should not consider any
assumption that the GD will be conducted only for 15 minutes.

Process of GD

1. The process of a Group Discussion starts with the announcement of the topic. The given
topic could be technical, factual, or case study.
 2. Before beginning with the discussion, the preparation time of 3 minutes is given. The time
can also extend in case of a long case statement.
3. Any participant in the group can initiate the discussion. After the lead participant, anyone in
the group can continue the discussion. Similarly, everyone gets the chance to speak. One
after another, participants in the group expresses their views on the given topic.
4. It ends when the panelist stops the discussion or may ask one or more than one participant
to summarize the GD. Whenever you are asked for the summary, remember to cover the
discussed points. The summary cannot include the words that were not part of the
discussion. The participants that were quite among the discussion are generally asked to
summarize it, which is a good opportunity to present their views. But, it does not mean that
everyone should be quite. The summary should include the essential discussed points and
the conclusion of the discussion.
5. The final scores are calculated. Based on the performance of each participant, the panelist
gives the scores. The panelists are usually four to five to judge the performance of
candidates in the Group Discussion.

Importance of GD

 Increases confidence

The GD allows the participants to speak in public, which increases their confidence to speak without
any hesitation.

 Focuses on Deep thinking

It tests the knowledge of a candidate. The participants get only a few minutes (3 to 5) for the
preparation. In such a small duration, they have to make a list of points to speak. The participants in
a group listen and understand other participants points of view, making them think deeply about the
topic.

 Improves Communication Skills

GD helps the students to represent their views and ask the questions. It not only increases the
confidence of a candidate but also enhances their communication skills.

 Removes hesitation of speaking

Some candidates usually have hesitation in speaking in public. At starting, such candidates might
face difficulty while speaking. But, after two or three Group Discussion, it improves. Group
Discussion helps such candidates to speak loudly and express their views on the topic. It further
removes their hesitation in speaking.

 Team Work

Group Discussion is also based on teamwork. In a company, it is very important to work as a team
for the assigned project. Due to this, the quality of working together with team members is checked
in the Group Discussion. The panelist also judges the cooperation of participants in the group. It
allows participants to share their views with other participants in the group.

 Behavior

It helps to understand the attitude and behavior of the candidates towards other participants in a
group.
  Listening Skills

GD improves the listening skills of the candidates. For example, the panelist may ask any candidate
in a group to summarize the discussion. A candidate can only summarize if he/she has good listening
skills. Due to this, every candidate presents in the discussion listens carefully. It further improves the
listening skills of the candidates.

 Diversity in the Ideas

The Group Discussion involves sharing ideas with other participants in the group. Every participant
shares his/her thoughts in the group, which makes the diversities in the ideas.

 Recruitments

Group Discussion is widely used for the recruitment process. It helps panelist to select a few
candidates from the group. It also helps them to judge that the candidate is suitable for the
organization or not