business communication notes to students and guide

Business communication

1. Business Meetings

2. AGENDA What is a Meeting? Objectives Necessity of meeting How to plan a meeting? Agenda Minutes of meeting How to organize a meeting Meeting preparation Types of meeting

3. A  meeting is a gathering of two or more people that has been convened for the purpose of achieving a common goal through verbal interaction, such as sharing information or reaching of an agreement.

4. Meeting M ake a focus statement E nsure that meeting roles are understood E nsure the group/team uses an agenda T ake time to prepare, participate and perform

5. Effective Meetings: Achieve organizational outcomes Can generate ideas & solutions Make better policy statement Give new targets & aims Saves time and money consumption

6. ? When do we need to hold meetings

7. A meeting should only be conducted when there are specific objectives.

8. Objectives could be an action Forming a new group or team Starting a new project Needing to accomplish an objective beyond the scope of one individual Solving a problem or improving a process Making a group/team decision

9. Objectives could be informational Presenting a management message Advising of a change in focus, policies, procedures etc Motivating group/team members Welcoming a new leader or member Recognizing outstanding performance Learning from mistakes

10. ? Are meetings necessary for these objectives?

11. Many times meetings are not necessary. Often we could achieve the same objective by sending couple of emails .

12. Meeting is necessary When we need people from multiple departments to generate ideas together Clear communication requires a face-to-face presentation We need to build similarity between team members We expect the objective will be controversial Issues are urgent and decisions are more important Other attempts at reaching the objective have been unsuccessful or are taking too long

13. ? Now! How to plan a meeting

14. When you have decided that a meeting is the best choice for achieving your objective, then the nest decision is, “Who should be there and who should not”.

15. Who should be there and who shouldn’t Are they important to the discussion? Do they have expertise that we will need and there is no alternative Do organizations internal politics require this person? Do we expect questions to arise during the meeting that only this person can answer?

16. ? What will be the Agenda of meeting?

17. Agenda is not just only a single statement that shows the objective or purpose of the meeting.

18. Agenda is a tool for: Identifying missing things Ensuring everyone has the information Right person comes to the meeting Managing the meeting in operation Confirmation of the date, time, and location

19. The Agenda Format

20. ? Are there any records of the meeting?

21. Minutes of the Meeting Yes! Meetings have written records which are called minutes of meeting, that is used to inform attendees and non-attendees of the actions during the meeting.

22. Minutes usually include The names of the participants The agenda items to be covered Decisions made by the participants The follow-up actions committed to by participants Due dates for the completion of commitments

23. ? How to organize a meeting

24. Organizing the Meeting Make sure everyone has a copy of the agenda Someone has been assigned for minutes of the meeting If something comes up that is not on the agenda, assure the group that you will ensure that, that topic or item comes up at a later discussion Agree to stay longer if they want to continue the discussion Agree to postpone the decision on this topic to a later time so you can stay on time During the meeting make sure:

25. At the end of the meeting: Thank everyone for their participation Summarize any final points and brief everyone about what the next steps will be Let them know when you will have meeting minutes or notes made available to them

26. ? Are there any other thing you need to do?

27. There are certain tangible aspects of effective meetings that should be considered to make the meeting as productive as possible.

28. Tangible aspects are: Meeting Location: Convenience Comfort Suitability Seating Arrangement: Best arrangement would be to set the chairs and tables up in a ‘U’ shape so that everyone can easily see and listen to each other.

29. Meeting Preparation: Must send out a reminder email to all of the attendees Bring copies of any supporting information Pack a box the day before, for example white board markers, Name tags or pads of paper

30. ? How many meetings are to be held by a business

31. There is not a specific number of times for a business to conduct meetings because it depends on the nature of the business. But some types of meetings are necessary.

32. Types of Meeting: Formal Type A pre-arranged meeting time and schedule An agenda A minutes of the meeting- a written record A chairperson - to lead, co-ordinate or control An administrator or secretary An agreed process and procedure Informal Type Unstructured discussion No procedures or process Anyone taking the lead

33. I . Formal Meeting Types: Board Meeting Annual General Meeting ( AGM ) Extraordinary General Meeting ( EGM ) Standing Committee Meeting One-Off Committee Public Meeting Conference Meeting External Meeting

34. 1. Board Meeting Once a month Directors of company attend the meeting Discuss company business Future direction of the company

35. 2. Annual General Meeting In short form is called AGM Compulsory yearly meeting for listed company All directors and shareholders attend the meeting

36. 3. Extraordinary General Meeting In short form is called EGM At any time of the year Give notice to shareholders For voting on proposed plans

37. 4. Standing Committee Meeting Standing committee is part of Board of Directors in the company Approve the proposed bonus payment and salary adjustment

38. 5. One-Off Committee Decisions on local matters Facilities Update Company Officers update Set of responsibilities and authorities Committee diction are published

39. 6 . Public Meeting Held for seeking the opinions of the public If development plan of the corporation will affect people in a town

40. 7. Conference Meeting Speakers from different corporations to share their expert knowledge Take place over a few days Usually takes the form of presentations

41. 8. External Meeting Must contribution of two or more different parties Negotiation on merger and acquisition matter Participants protector their responses

42. II. Informal Meeting Types One-on-One Team Meeting Informational Meeting

43. 1. One-on-One Just two people meet Discuss business ideas It may between manager and a staff member

44. 2. Team Meeting Must have a team Discussing the project and issues A Meeting may be called suddenly

45. 3 . Informational Meeting: Get together to gain information Receive news about the company

46. Meeting etiquette 10 etiquette rules that every professional should know: Be on time 2 . Make introductions 3. Have a strong agenda 4. Sit appropriately 5. Speak up 6. Understand the unwritten speaking rules 7. Do not have your phone out 8 . You can drink coffee, but you need permission for anything else Clean up after yourself Don't save all your questions for the end

47. Do’s and Don'ts in a meeting: Do’s: Be prepared for meeting Come on time Respond to queries Be serious and listen carefully Take notes Keep your belongings near you on the floor

48. Don’ts : Fiddle with pens,pencil,paper Doodle on a notepad Slouch in your seat Come late Speak loudly or too softly Walk out for a break before the meetings is over Blur out thoughts Use of negative language Use comfortable phrase like I disagree or I oppose this

49. CONCLUSION Meetings are in fact a waste of time Lengthy and boring But can be very helpful if conducted correctly Should be conducted only if necessary Brief and to the point Always be prepared for Disruptions

50. THANK YOU