Participant’s Manual

Effective Meetings

Effective Meetings
Making meetings attractive and efficient
Version 2014-04

JCI Recommended Course

Effective Meetings – General Information 1
 Effective Meetings
JCI Vision Course Summary

“To be the leading global network of young active
citizens.”
JCI Mission
“To provide development opportunities that
empower young people to create positive change.”
About JCI
JCI is a membership-based nonprofit organization of
young active citizens ages 18 to 40 in more than 100
countries who are dedicated to creating positive change
in their communities. Each JCI member shares the belief
that in order to create lasting positive change, we must
improve ourselves and the world around us. JCI
members take ownership of their communities by
identifying problems and creating targeted solutions to
create impact.
Innovations in the field of information technology
changed the way people interact and communicate. A
century ago we still had to meet face-to-face to
communicate and only a few decades ago new ways of
communicating without meeting were introduced but in
some cases, human interaction is still necessary to
communicate effectively. It is part of the human nature to
meet other humans for many reasons and at the local
level of JCI, meetings still have a great impact in
decision-making and sharing experiences, but times
have changed and we need to rethink the way we
conduct meetings at the local level.
Local Organizations must be creative when organizing
meetings. Because each Local Organization is different
and every year can be different, local officers must
decide what type of meeting is more effective for the
members and the organization. While in one hand
humans have a need to meet person-to-person, in the
other hand, innovations have proven that there are other
ways of achieving the same results.

References

JCI Local Action Guide – Brainstorming

JCI Local Action Guide – Chairing Meetings
JCI Local Action Guide – Local Meetings
JCI Local Action Guide – Local Protocol
JCI Local Action Guide – Planning Meetings
Parliamentary Procedures Guide

© Copyright by JCI: All rights reserved.

This publication is for the exclusive use of the trainers

conducting the JCI Recommended Course and can only
be reproduced for this purpose. All JCI Official Courses
must be organized online and all participants must
individually register online to qualify for the manual and
to be certified as graduated from the course.

This publication or parts of it may not be translated in

any other language without the express permission of
the JCI Secretary General.

Published by

Junior Chamber International (JCI), Inc.

15645 Olive Boulevard – Chesterfield, MO 63017,
U.S.A.
Tel: +1 (636) 449 3100 – Fax: +1 (636) 449 3107
Toll free (from USA only): 1 800 905 5499
E-Mail: training@jci.cc - Website: www.jci.cc.

2 Effective Meetings – General Information

 Effective Meetings
Effective Meetings
Introduction
Because we are a meeting society and we like to gather
in small groups for the purpose of sharing, deciding,
solving problems, criticizing when necessary, praise
when deserved, evaluate work done, inform what
happened or what is still to come and plan our activities,
we need to have regular meetings to involve all
members in the group.
Because of this, we cannot say that we should just
cancel all meetings of the organization. Even if meetings
are not our main purpose, we still need to get together
from time to time in a formal meeting.
But some organizations or groups get so attached to
meetings that they develop the perception that
everything must be solved or decided by holding
meetings for any reason or for no reason at all.
This is when a group or organizations starts to change
focus because there is no focus on the activity but
rather the focus is on the meetings.
Some Local Organizations conduct a General
Membership Meeting every week, even if there is
nothing to do, discuss or decide. They conduct the
meeting because weekly meetings have been conducted
since the birth of the Local Organization decades ago.
In a few months or even years, meetings will turn into
the only activity the Local Organization has. Meetings
should never become the main or the only activity of
the Local Organization.
In these days of constant innovations and changes in
communications, people may think or assume that all
meetings can be done virtually.
Of course, the advances in technology for virtual
meetings made it possible for almost all meetings to
become virtual but, as we mentioned at the beginning,
not everything can be discussed and solved using virtual
communication. There will always be the need for formal
meetings where people must come face-to-face to
discuss and solve problems or make plans for future of
the Local Organization.
So, the first think we need to understand and establish is
“what exactly is a meeting?”
Effective Meetings
Definition
One accepted definition is: “A meeting is the gathering
of two or more people for the common purpose to
discuss, decide and achieve common goals through
verbal interaction.”
Meetings should be viewed skeptically from the
outset, as risks to productivity. We have meetings
because we think we need them, but all too often,
meetings are where work ends up going to die.
There are many reasons why in JCI we still need
person-to-person meetings.
And not only in JCI, but also in a time when virtual
meetings became the trend, companies, government
and organizations still have the need to get together in
person-to-person meetings.
Most organizations can’t function without meetings
because they must communicate in groups to get things
done. A meeting is a tool and is often the best way to
communicate information to others in a group when
face-to-face interaction is necessary.
Meetings are a way of involving others in solving
problems and making decisions to ensure support.
So, basically, we need meetings for three reasons: To
discuss, to make decisions or have verbal interaction.
Everything else can be done without having a formal
meeting.
Why meetings?
Here are some of the reasons why we need person-to-
person meetings in the Local Organization:
- To exercise democracy and develop leadership
skills:
Government by laws rather than of men is stated in
the JCI Creed and to ensure decisions where
everyone can participate and vote, membership
meetings are necessary. The discussion and
debates also develop leadership skills.
- To encourage participation and create a sense of
ownership of decisions:
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 Effective Meetings
When members participate in the decisions and
provide ideas and suggestions for activities, they will
be more engaged in the activity because they feel
some king of ownership. On the other hand, if
everything is decided by one person or the Board
and just given to the members to execute, they will
not feel any commitment with the project.
- To discuss the activities the Local Organization
will conduct and plan the future of the
organization:
From time to time, the activities, projects and
programs must be discussed and evaluated and
plans for the future must be made. There is when
the members must participate in the meeting.
- To practice public speaking and develop the skill
of discussing subjects and topics:
Presenting ideas, defending one’s opinion will
develop speaking and discussion skills. Not
everyone has the ability to discuss a topic,
respecting the opinions of other members and
proposing one’s own opinion without creating
animosities or hard feelings.
- To provide civic education among the members:
Living among other people with different ideas and
opinions and expressing one’s own opinion about
community issues will provide a unique opportunity
of civic education.
Face-to-face meetings bring people together!
Types of meetings
So, what are the types of meeting most Local
Organizations run?
- Project Committee: A few committee members or a
large group, depending on the issue or importance.
Can be conducted at one member’s home or at any
place that is more convenient for the participants.
- Board of Directors: The members of the Board
meet to discuss administration and plan meetings.
- Informal: Members get together at some place in an
informal setup, such as a party or having some
snacks to talk informally. Great for team building and
fellowship.
4 Effective Meetings
- Virtual: These are the meetings conducted by using
one of the many online meeting programs where
members login and talk.
- Field trip: When members want to see or learn how
things work. They visit a company or government
agency or even another organization to learn how
work is done. Internal discussion at a meeting must
follow.
- Training or guest speaker: When a speaker or a
trainer is invited to teach skills, provide new
information or just discuss a current topic. Can be at
a normal meeting or at any other convenient place.
- Team building: Normally outdoor activities but can
also be a social or informal meeting.
- Social: Dinner to inform members about a topic or
just to get together to socialize.
- Social with guests: Formal dinner with guests that
could be a speaker, new members, an authority, and
the press, etc. Good for public relations and to thank
sponsors and partners by providing information
about the success of projects.
- General Membership Meeting: The meeting where
members discuss and vote projects, decide about
the future of the organization and practice meeting
procedures.
- Annual General Assembly: The meeting where
elections and Constitutional amendments happen.
- Inauguration dinner: Very formal dinner, with
guests, press and authorities. Special care must be
given to protocol and attention to guests, press and
authorities.
The Local Organization needs General Membership
Meetings on some special occasions, such as:
§ When we need to involve group in solving a
problem or making a decision.
Sometimes when we are facing a challenge or a
problem we need to involve all members, we need to
decide what is better for the organization.
§ When there is an issue that needs to be clarified.
Some issues must be clarified in person-to-person
meetings, instead of just sending it out via social
media. Sensitive issues sometimes are better
 Effective Meetings
communicated and absorbed in face-to-face
meetings.
§ When we have concerns to share with group.
On the same thought, some sensitive issues are
better informed in face-to-face meetings to avoid
wrong interpretations. Remember that sending
information over social media, e-mail, website or
other means, will allow room for personal
interpretations and no room for questions or
clarifications. What the receiver wants to understand
is what will be the real message.
§ The group itself wants a meeting.
Of course, if the group wants to have a General
Membership Meeting because members have
concerns, then the Board must organize a meeting.
The Purpose of Meetings
We all go to many meetings for different reasons and in
different organizations. We attend business meetings,
social club meetings, school meetings, the building
association meetings, etc. For most of those meetings,
we know in advance what will happen and why we need
to be there.
Very few people would leave the comfort of their homes,
the many other options they may have, just to go to a
meeting without knowing what will happen and why the
meeting was organized.
The leaders of the Local Organization must decide and
come up with a purpose for every meeting, mostly the
General Membership Meetings. The purpose of a
meeting must be clear to every person attending and
should make members feel needed in the meeting.
The purpose of the meeting is more important than
the agenda!
Many leaders spend a lot of time creating agendas for
their meetings but cannot create interest in the meetings.
The reason is that most of us don’t know how to
communicate correctly.
Almost everyone creates an agenda that will only show
what will be done in the meeting.
Some will add something else and will describe how the
purpose will be achieved.
Effective Meetings
But very few leaders will write why people should attend
the meeting or why will this meeting happen.
But, if we reverse this order and start with the why this
meeting is important, the how and what become
secondary.
We propose to invert the order of the questions…
1st PURPOSE
WHY? To decide on ways to improve the
city’s parks & recreation facilities.
2nd PROCESS
HOW? Participants will analyze, discuss
and propose actions.
3rd ACTION
WHAT? A project proposal will be
presented, discussed and voted.
Figure 1 Reproduction of the slide from the Effective Meetings course
This reinforces the importance of creating and describing
the purpose of the meeting.
A more efficient way to communicate and promote a
meeting is by defining why this meeting is important
(the purpose) and then tell them how we want to
achieve this purpose (the process to be used in the
meeting) and then tell them what will happen in the
meeting (the agenda for the meeting).
This is why before you call a meeting you must decide
the reason and purpose of the meeting.
After you decided the purpose, you can decide what type
of meeting is the most appropriate to achieve the
purpose. Depending on what you want to achieve in the
meeting, you must decide how you will achieve the
purpose.
No meetings are equal and most likely each meeting will
have a different and unique purpose. But no matter what
type of meeting you organize, one thing must be clear:
“Members come to meetings for their reasons, not
yours.”
This means that you may have many excellent reasons
to call for a meeting, but members will not come to a
meeting for your reasons. They will come is the issues
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are relevant to them.
When they read the purpose they must feel that they are
the main players and are so important in that meeting
that they feel they cannot miss the meeting.
By reading the purpose they must feel they are the main
and most important players of the meeting.
To help you defining or establishing the purpose of your
next General Membership Meeting you should always
ask yourself, “why would someone come to this
meeting?”
Be open minded and think about all other options the
members have, instead of attending your meeting and
what would make them give up other options and come
to your meeting.
Write down as many reasons as you can because those
reasons will help you define the purpose of your
meeting. Remember that the members are the most
important part of this organization and they have the
rights to:
• Make motions
• Debate and vote
• Nominate officers
• Vote and hold office
But if there is no need to make motions, debate, vote or
nominate, there is no need for a formal meeting. In
this case, consider other options, after you have
decided what is the purpose of the meeting.
The Agenda
Now that we decided what we will achieve at the
meeting and decided the type of meeting we need to
decide on the agenda. Every meeting should have a
different agenda. In general, only General Membership
Meetings need to have an agenda. The agenda:
• Describes de purpose and the pre-determined
sequence of items to be covered in the meeting.
• Must be sent or published in advance so members
know in advance what will be done and how they
need to prepare to participate.
• At the beginning, the agenda must be proposed,
seconded and approved because the published
agenda can have changes if that is what the
members want.
6 Effective Meetings
• Can be amended by members at the meeting. After
being proposed and seconded, new items can be
added. This ensures the rights of the members are
protected in case the chairperson does not include
something the members want to discuss.
• Any topic not included is out of order. After the
members at the meeting approve the agenda, those
are the only items to be discussed. All other items
are out of order.
Sample Agenda of a General Membership Meeting
Name of the Organization
Date, time and location
Purpose of the meeting
• Opening exercises: Call to order, JCI Creed, Vision
and Mission, verification of quorum, excuses,
introductions
All administrative exercises can be included under
the item called Opening Exercises because they
normally don’t change from one to another General
Membership Meeting.
• Reports and Information: Short reports of the
status of projects, activities.
This item can have sub-items, such as Board
Reports, Project Report, etc.
• Pending items: Issues pending from last meeting.
If there are no pending items (such as motions left
on the table from a previous meeting), then this item
is not necessary.
• New items: Motions, proposals, etc.
Here is where motions come in. Even if there are no
known motions to be presented, it is wise to leave
this item on the agenda for any proposal that may
come from the members.
• Closing: Next meeting, vote of thanks, etc.
Here is where the president makes his remarks,
summarizes the decisions and reinforces the tasks
assigned, if any.
Some Local Organizations have items such as
evaluator or timekeeper, that is totally useless and
are not a normal item in JCI meetings.
 Effective Meetings
Running Effective Meetings
Effective meetings also need to have proper procedures,
but not all meetings need Parliamentary Procedures.
Many meetings that could be effective and productive
don’t achieve that purpose because the chairperson
uses meeting procedures where they are not necessary
or recommended.
Meeting procedures (or parliamentary procedures) are
not necessary for these meetings, unless of course,
there are too many members attending and heavy
discussions force the chairperson to use meeting
procedures to keep order, protect the rights of the
minority and respect the decisions of the majority.
There is no need for parliamentary procedures for the
following meetings to achieve their purpose:
• Problem solving
• Planning
• Presenting
• Evaluating
• Learning
• Virtual
The following meetings must use parliamentary
procedures:
§ Some types of reporting. When reports must be
officially accepted and recorded.
§ Decision-making. Because decisions must be
made by the majority and also recorded.
§ Or when members speaking or decision rights
must be protected!
Here are some reasons why meetings fail:
§ Members don’t know the purpose and outcome. If
participants don’t know what the purpose of the
meeting is, they will see it as a waste of their time.
§ No agenda, no timetable, too long and boring. Or,
a meeting that nobody wants to attend again.
§ Chairperson imposes course of action or
decisions. A dictatorial Chairperson will inhibit
members from attending future meetings. If the
Chairperson wants his way, why was the meeting
called in the first place?
Effective Meetings
§ Discussions deviating from subject or are too
long. If the Chairperson is not very careful facilitating
the debate, discussions can easily deviate and turn
into different subjects. The Chairperson must ensure
the discussion is always focused on the issue in
discussion.
§ Personal attacks instead on discussing ideas. A
meeting can easily turn into a big problem when the
discussion turns into personal attacks, instead of
discussing ideas.
TO KEEP THE INTEREST FOR MEETINGS
To keep the interest of the members in the meetings:
§ Change types of meetings:
Use a variety of different types; ask members what
they prefer, make meetings fun and interesting.
§ Involve members in the decision-making process:
Everyone likes to be consulted, express opinions,
participate, etc. Make all meetings participative and
ask opinions, vote important issues, etc.
§ Keep the focus on the purpose of the meeting
and of the organization:
Don’t deviate and discuss issues that are not related
to the purpose of the meeting or in the Mission of the
organization.
Meetings must get the interest of the members, they
must feel they cannot miss the meeting because if they
do, their voice will no be heard and their vote will not
count.
So, what is a suggested schedule for Local Meetings?
There are Local Organizations that have monthly
meetings, mostly those in large metropolitan areas.
Others, in large and busy cities have two meetings a
month and others; mostly small towns have weekly
meetings.
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS FOR MEETINGS
There are many alternative options for meeting when a
General Membership Meeting is not necessary. Here are
just a few examples and each Local Organization should
look for different options.
Inviting a speaker: A person who is an expert or has
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 Effective Meetings
knowledge about a topic of interest for the members or is
related to a project, is invited to speak at a gathering of
the members.
Organizing a panel of experts: A few experts in a topic
of interest for the members are invited and placed on a
head table in front of the members. The experts will
present their opinions and discuss the topic among
themselves and also with the members.
Visiting a location outside the meeting place:
Members are invited to visit a company or place to have
hands-on experience and learn about a situation.
Training course: A member with experience or
knowledge about a topic will explain it to a class,
facilitating discussions and teamwork for the purpose of
acquiring knowledge or learning abilities.
INVITING A SPEAKER
What is it: An expert in a subject presents new
information to the audience. Questions are allowed at
the end.
When to use: When members lack information about a
subject or topic.
Examples: Inviting someone to come to a meeting to
talk about current issues that members may be
interested about:
• A leader from another organization to talk about
projects being conducted in the community
• A city official to explain about a current issue that
could be a subject for a project or is something
being discussed among the population
• A businessperson to talk about the trends and needs
• An economist to talk about the trends of the
economy
• A member of a neighborhood association to talk
about needs or potential projects for the Local
Organization
• A person who achieved something great to inspire
members to succeed or think big
• An expert in volunteer leadership, project planning
and management, association management, non-
profit organizations, etc.
• A sports figure
• A professor or author to talk about the behavior,
wants and needs of the young generation
• A police person to talk about the work done and the
problems where projects could be implemented.
• A journalist to talk about how to get the projects on
8 Effective Meetings
the news and how to attract the media.
ORGANIZING A DISCUSSION PANEL
What is it: Group of experts in a topic present opinions
and discuss among themselves and audience.
When to use: When members have knowledge on the
topic but many opinions exist.
Examples: Inviting people who have opinions about
community issues, etc.:
• The candidates running for mayor, city council, etc.
• Economists to discuss the trends of business
• Leaders of other organizations to discuss the needs
for projects
• Young people to discuss the ways to be active
citizens
• Journalists to discuss current issues of the
community or country
PLANNING A FIELD TRIP
What is it: Members visit a place to know how it works
or feel the environment.
When to use: When members don’t have experience or
knowledge about a topic or situation and need hands-on
experience.
Examples: Inviting members to visit special places in
the city, where people alone would not have access:
• The City Council meeting
• A business that has outstanding services or
products
• The local Newspaper, TV or Radio station(s)
• A shelter for poor children or elderly people
• A park or other landmark
OFERRING CLASSROM TRAINING
What is it: A member with knowledge or experience on
a topic shares it and facilitates group discussion for
learning purposes.
When to use: When members need to acquire
knowledge or learn skills using a facilitator, group
discussions and sharing knowledge or experience.
Examples: Training on leadership, planning, etc.:
• The JCI Official and Recommended Courses
 Effective Meetings
• A member who has special knowledge or skills that 2.
other members could learn and use
• A trainer from the community who can share special
knowledge or skills the members need to run better
projects
• Train members on issues that are required by 3.
members because of changes in job opportunities,
etc.
• Special skills or knowledge needed by members to
become better and more active citizens.
It is important to remember that no matter what meeting
a Local Organization organizes, the focus must always
be on the purpose and the results or outcome of the 4.
meeting.
Many officers get lost in procedures or rules that may not
help to achieve the purpose of the meeting and in many
cases may even obstruct or create problems instead of 5.
solutions.
Sometimes we need to let go and overlook some
procedures if they are not helping to achieve the results
we are looking for.
And as a last message, not only in meetings but also in
every aspect of the organization and maybe in out own
personal lives, we need less talking and more action!
Productive Team Discussions
Project Committees depend largely on teamwork and
decisions on how the work will be accomplished. Team
discussions will be a constant part of the Project
Committee’s work not only to reach the best solution but
also to involve team members in the process, making
them responsible and committed to the achievement of
the solution.
Team discussions give you a forum to exchange and
debate ideas and to make crucial decisions that help you
achieve your goals. But discussions can easily get out of
hand and be unproductive when they lack form, focus,
and direction. To help committee members to be more
productive and avoid wasting precious time, here are
some key tips for holding productive and efficient
discussions:
1. Start with a clear purpose. For example: "Today
we'll be discussing changes in our project schedule
to accommodate the new task assigned to our
committee." Establishing your purpose gives
everyone a sharper focus for discussion.
Effective Meetings
Set a time limit. Working within a time frame helps
you focus and complete the discussion quickly and
efficiently. Be specific: "We have 20 minutes to
brainstorm and make a decision on this issue."
Make it easy for everyone to make eye contact.
It's much easier for people to make negative
comments when they're not looking at each other,
but the more you look at and talk with one another,
the less likely it is you'll have group dynamics
problems. If possible, arrange seating in a "round-
table" format.
Use an agenda or list of key questions. This
makes it easier for people to keep their minds on the
topic under discussion. Without a structure to keep
them on track, people tend to go off on tangents.
Exercise your leadership. Keep the discussion on
track when people digress: "That's a really important
point, but let's talk about it later, after we've
finished..." Additional strategies:
• Don't let extroverts dominate. Give each
person a chance to express an opinion or
propose ideas. You may need to invite shy or
quiet individuals to join in: “Joe, we haven't
heard from you yet. What's your opinion of this
proposal?” Then reinforce Joe's contribution:
“Yes, that's an important point we need to
consider here.”
• Stay neutral. A leadership position gives you a
disproportionate degree of power to influence
decisions. The leader should express an opinion
only after everyone else has had a say.
• Don't allow subjects under discussion to be
abandoned prematurely. If the leader is not
careful, the subject of discussion can switch
abruptly and the group never gets back to it
again. Then, at the end, no one can remember
whether a decision was made on that subject.
Make written notes when decisions are made –
and when decisions are not made because the
discussion went off the rails. Remind the group
of the need to return to that topic.
• Verbally summarize any conclusions or
decisions. After a decision is made, clarify how
the members will become part of the
implementation of the decision and write down
the action plan with specific action steps.
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Making Quick Decisions in
Meetings
Meeting participants often wander in and around agenda
topics without making the decisions that need to be
made in order for work to be effectively carried out
following the meeting.
Breakdowns occur when expectations are not
communicated, when people are not prepared to make
decisions, and when leaders are not adept with decision-
making processes. Follow these eight steps to prepare
people for making decisions in your meetings.
1. Have an Agenda – State the meeting's overall
purpose. For example, are you sharing information,
or solving a problem? For each agenda item, identify
whether a decision is needed. Try labeling each item
as a discussion, decision, or informational item so
that everyone understands what expectations exist
for each.
2. Distribute the Agenda – Send out the agenda
along with any data that will be needed by
participants in order to formulate a decision. Doing
so saves meeting time and allows participants to
mentally prepare for making decisions at the
meeting.
3. Lay the groundwork – You may want to have some
one-on-one conversations in the days before the
meeting with the goal of uncovering personal issues
and concerns and informing individuals that the
meeting time will be used for decision-making. Find
out what additional information they will need so that
they will be prepared to state their positions during
the meeting.
4. Set expectations – Determine to what degree the
group will have authority in making and carrying out
its decisions.
5. Review the Agenda – Reiterate the decision-
making purpose(s) of the meeting. Review the
agenda items and emphasize those items that must
be decided. Post the agenda on a flipchart or a
whiteboard. Posting the agenda serves as a
reminder of the tasks at hand, and can allow for any
additional time that may be needed for the decisions.
6. Pick a process – Identify the decision-making
process that the group will use: consensus,
executive decision, and acceptance of a committee's
10 Effective Meetings
recommendation, rank order, or a prioritized list. As
the leader, understand how the decision process
you choose works. Projects can quickly fall apart if
the decision-making process hasn't been clearly
explained to everyone in the meeting or if the
process stalls before the decision is reached.
7. In closing – Summarize the decisions that were
made, and determine who will follow through on the
next steps, and by when.
8. Follow up – Include in the meeting's minutes a list
of what decisions were made, the resulting next
steps, the responsible parties, and their deadlines.
If you properly prepare for meetings, decisions are much
more likely to both be made and acted on as a result.
Chairing a Meeting:
How to keep discussions focused and creative
Chairing a discussion is not a passive process, nor is it
simply calling on the next person whose hand is up.
Neither is the chairman merely a traffic policeman. When
you are presiding over a meeting, remember that you
play the primary role in determining whether discussions
are lively, provocative, creative, and focused.
Keep in mind that your responsibility as a chairman is to
all members of the Local Organization, not just a few of
them. Throughout the meeting, ask yourself if all
members' interests are being served by the discussion.
Challenge yourself to make certain that every member
speaks at least once at each meeting.
Keep the following in mind the next time you have to
chair a chapter meeting:
1. Don't hold court. Remember that the meeting
belongs to the members. You are there to facilitate
discussion and the taking of action.
2. Eye contact is the key to controlling a meeting.
Have the meeting table arranged in a hollow square,
with only you, the Past President (parliamentarian),
and the secretary sitting on one side. You cannot
establish eye contact easily with someone sitting
directly on either side of you.
3. Always start the meeting on time. If you start the
meeting late to accommodate the few who always
show up late, you will offend those who are there on
time. Also, people who are perpetually late will be
late no matter when you start the meeting. Starting
 Effective Meetings
the meeting on time also sends a strong signal that
you respect people's time.
4. Begin the meeting with a general overview of the
work to be done. Don't go over each agenda item,
but give people a feel for the issues to be
conducted. It is a good way to get people into the
rhythm of a meeting. It also clarifies your
expectations and thus allows other members to help
you move the meeting forward if it gets bogged
down.
5. Guide, mediate, probe and stimulate discussion
throughout the meeting. Allow time for ideas and
thoughts to emerge from the group, even when you
can abbreviate the discussion by providing the
"right" answer. Any group discussion is strengthened
by diversity of thinking, so take the time to draw out
ideas, even from people who are less vocal. Use
well-placed questions to draw out less talkative
members. Discourage people from dominating a
discussion or talking on every topic.
6. Watch for visual as well as verbal cues to see
how people are reacting to the discussion. If
words say "yes" but the body language says "no,"
trust the body language.
7. Deal directly with disruptive behavior by using a
break to privately point out to the offender the
consequence of the behavior. Never question the
motives of the individual; simply point out how it is
disrupting productive discussion. If these efforts fail,
deal directly with the person during the meeting.
8. Don't allow people to break in on a discussion.
When they do, simply indicate that you will add their
name to the list of people who have raised their
hands. Stick to your guns on this, and you will
impose a discipline that allows for more orderly
discussion. Plus, you will be a hero in the eyes of
other members. No one likes it when someone
constantly interrupts.
9. Keep the discussion on track by periodically
restating the issue and the goal of the
discussion. This technique is a way to keep the
group from drifting off the main topic or losing sight
of the purpose of the discussion.
10. Seek consensus, but remember that unanimity is
not required. Many times a good idea is diluted and
reduced to a bad or ineffective idea through an effort
to get the last one or two members to agree with the
idea. Remember that as the President you are
Effective Meetings
responsible to all members, not only the holdouts. If
the vast majority of the members are in agreement,
call for a vote and move on.
11. Put all issues to a vote. Do not make assumptions
about how the members feel. Often a vocal minority
will give a false impression about how the majority of
the members feel.
12. After a reasonable discussion, restate the issue
before each vote, explain the consequences of the
vote, and then call for the vote without further
discussion. If the motion passes, indicate how follow
through will be taken, and who is responsible.
13. End the meeting on time. Remember, about ten
minutes before the close of any meeting,
participants begin to "check out." If you must run
over, ask the group's permission and be specific
about the additional time required. If the members
say it's okay, they will be attentive; if they say no,
you didn't have them invested in the discussion
anyway. Dragging on well beyond the time for
adjournment has ruined many times a good meeting.
And that's what people remember, rather than the
good things that happened earlier in the meeting.
14. Close the meeting by reviewing what has been
accomplished. Send the members home feeling
that their time has been well spent. This will have a
major impact on their attitude about the next
meeting.
Common Mistakes when
Chairing a Meeting
Let's examine some of the more common mistakes
made by presiding officers:
1. Taking unnecessary votes. Many presiding
officers like to take a formal vote on every proposal
that comes up. Most non-controversial motions are
better handled by general consent. Whenever the
Chairman senses that the group is in unanimous
agreement on a proposal, it is simpler and quicker to
ask, "Is there any objection?" If there is none, the
Chairman says, "Since there is no objection . . ." and
states the action to be taken. But the Chairman
must, of course, always provide the opportunity for
members to object, because if anyone does, there is
no general consent, and a vote must be taken.
11
 Effective Meetings
2. Cutting off discussion arbitrarily. Many presiding
officers don't understand that they don't have the
power to end discussion. Only the assembly can do
that, either by a vote or by general consent. The
presiding officer in a democratic assembly is a
servant of the assembly, not its master.
3. Refusal to accept a motion. No matter how
strongly the Chairman disagrees with a motion, he
does not have the power to refuse to let it be
offered. Of course, if it is based on some obvious
misunderstanding, he may explain that fact and give
the maker an opportunity to withdraw it. Or, if the
motion is out of order he can so rule – but always
subject to appeal if the maker so desires.
4. Failure to stifle personal remarks. It is the duty of
the Chairman to intercede immediately when a
speaker questions the integrity of motives of another
member. Discussion must be limited strictly to the
subject matter at hand, with no personal innuendo.
Failure to do so can result in hurt feelings and
resentment, which can plague an organization for
years to come.
5. Failure to stifle irrelevant remarks. In an
assembly (as distinct from a committee meeting) it is
necessary that remarks be relevant to the motion
under discussion. The Chairman must tactfully but
firmly insist that the motion on the floor be handled
first, before other subjects can be discussed.
6. Failure to remain impartial. In a Board or a
committee meeting the Chairman need not remain
neutral, but in a large gathering it is essential. The
Chairman should not take sides in a controversy,
remaining as an impartial referee. If he feels so
strongly on the subject that this is impossible, the
gavel should be turned over temporarily to another
officer until the matter has been settled.
7. Failure to protect the rights of an unpopular
minority. The Chairman should prevent the majority
from "railroading" a proposal through before both
sides have had an opportunity to speak. The
Chairman should try to alternate the floor between
proponents and opponents of the measure.
8. Failure to restate a motion before taking vote.
When a motion is complicated it is wrong for the
Chairman to say, "You have all heard the motion. All
in favor...” The Chairman must repeat the motion so
that everyone is aware of the exact words. If the
motion is complex, he has a duty not only to repeat
12 Effective Meetings
it but also to make sure everyone understands what
a vote for or against it will mean.
9. Failure to confirm, after the vote, what has been
decided. After the vote the Chairman should state
clearly what the assembly has just voted to do. This
serves two purposes: it confirms for the members
what has been decided, and it simplifies the
secretary's job in keeping accurate minutes.
10. Failure to know parliamentary procedures. A few
minutes spent prior to a meeting with a
parliamentary procedures manual can ease the mind
and make the meeting better for all concerned.
Planning Good Meetings
Overall long-range planning for meetings makes
individual meetings more effective. By planning, long-
range programs can be chosen for their timeliness,
definite dates can be announced, the best of speakers
can be secured, programs can be announced and
promoted well in advance and cancellations of meetings
due to lack of speaker or programs can be avoided.
The chairman should remember that the success of the
meeting depends on him, and his Board. In this
connection, it will be well for him to keep in mind that:
1. Meetings without purpose are wasted efforts.
2. The meeting place should be centrally located, it
should be held at a place adapted to the purpose,
cool or warm according to the season and one that
is quiet and free from interruption.
3. Attendance is a pre-requisite to successful
meetings. To insure good attendance it is important
that every one expected or desired to attend be
notified sufficiently in advance regarding all details.
4. Physical arrangements are another important
contribution factor to the success of the meeting.
5. The meeting should start at a scheduled time and
this should be adhered to or its importance or
desirability will not be recognized or appreciated.
 Effective Meetings

Checklist for Local Meetings

PRIOR TO THE MEETING:

£ Is the purpose of the meeting defined?

£ Is the agenda planned and written?
£ Have minutes of previous meetings been prepared and mailed to the members?
£ Do the officers understand on what they are expected to report?
£ Has notice of the meeting, with time and location, been given to the membership?
£ Has the guest speaker been contacted and confirmed the following issues:
£ The subject to be covered?
£ The time limit of the speech?
£ Who will meet the guest speaker upon his arrival?
£ Is the information for the introduction of the speaker ready?
£ Have meals been arranged, including menu, cost, minimum guarantees, serving time, etc.?
£ Have arrangements been made for audio-visual equipment and microphone?
£ Is there a backup for the guest speaker?
£ Has meeting room been booked, room lay-out sent, including table arrangement, etc.?
£ Have gifts for the speaker been arranged?
£ Have recognition plaques (or certificates) been arranged for and engraved?
£ Is the news media needed at the meeting and have they been invited?
£ Is there a need for name tags or name plates and have they been ordered?
£ Are the flags ready?
£ Are the gavel, podium, head table, banner, etc., ready and placed?
£ Is decoration needed?

DURING THE MEETING:

£ Will the meeting start on time?

£ Are officers prepared for their reports?
£ Is the guest speaker ready for his speech?
£ Are the gifts, plaques and certificates ready and handy?
£ Are the agenda and other necessary supporting documents with you?
£ Can you make eye contact with all members attending the meeting?
£ Did you thank the members for attending the meeting?
£ Did you cover all items on the agenda?
£ Did every member have the opportunity to speak and give his opinion?
£ Were all decisions made in a democratic way?
£ Did you announce the date, place, time, and major attractions of the next meeting?
£ Can you finish the meeting on time?

AFTER THE MEETING:

£ Have thank-you letters been sent?

£ Was the media informed about relevant issues discussed and approved?
£ Have minutes been prepared?
£ Have all commitments and assignments been confirmed and followed up?
£ Is there any action needed as a result of a decision made during the meeting?
£ Has the summary of the decisions been mailed to all members?

Effective Meetings 13
 Effective Meetings

Chart of Parliamentary Motions

Requires May be May be Require May be May Interrupt
PRIVILEGED MOTIONS
Second Amended Debated Vote Reconsidered Speaker
1. Fix time of next meeting Yes Yes No Majority No No
2. Adjourn meeting Yes No No Majority No No
3. Recess Yes Yes No Majority No No
4. Question of privilege No No No Chairman Yes Yes
5. Point of information No No No No No Yes
Requires May be May be Require May be May Interrupt
SUBSIDIARY MOTIONS
Second Amended Debated Vote Reconsidered Speaker
6. Lay on the table Yes No No Majority No No
7. Previous Question Yes No No 2/3 Yes No
8. Limit debate Yes Yes No 2/3 Yes No
9. Postpone to a certain time Yes Yes Yes Majority Yes No
10. Refer to a committee Yes Yes Yes Majority Yes No
11. Amend Yes Yes (1) Majority Yes No
12. Postpone indefinitely Yes No Yes Majority Yes No
Requires May be May be Require May be May Interrupt
MAIN MOTIONS
Second Amended Debated Vote Reconsidered Speaker
13. Main motion for general
Yes Yes Yes Majority Yes No
business
14. Take from the table Yes No No Majority No No
15. Reconsider Yes No (2) Majority No Yes
16. Rescind Yes Yes Yes Majority Yes No
17. Make special order of
No No No 2/3 Yes
business
Requires May be May be Require May be May Interrupt
INCIDENTAL MOTIONS
Second Amended Debated Vote Reconsidered Speaker
18. Suspend rules Yes No No 2/3 No No
19. Withdraw a motion No No No Majority Yes No
20. Object to a consideration No No No 2/3 Yes Yes
21. Point of order No No No Chairman No Yes
22. Appeal from Chairman’s Chairman
Yes No Yes Yes Yes
decision or Majority
23. Division (verify a voice vote) No No No Yes
24. Roll call Yes No No Majority Yes

(1) Only if the motion to be amended is debatable.

(2) Only if the motion to be reconsidered is debatable.

14 Effective Meetings
Effective Meetings

Effective Meetings 15
 JCI Vision
.
“To be the leading global network of young active citizens.”

JCI Mission

“To provide development opportunities that empower young people to create positive change.”

About JCI

JCI is a membership-based nonprofit organization of young active citizens ages 18 to 40 in more than 100
countries who are dedicated to creating positive change in their communities. Each JCI member shares the
belief that in order to create lasting positive change, we must improve ourselves and the world around us. JCI
members take ownership of their communities by identifying problems and creating targeted solutions to create
impact.

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