Phrases

1. In any meeting you should monitor two objects: the time and the agenda. If you don't do that, meetings will take twice as long and the salient points won't be discussed.
2. Avoid discussing points there you haven't enough power to make a decision about. Postpone such points to another meeting where the right personnel would be invited.
3. Take charge of managing time. Watch the clock every 5 minutes and decide if there is too much time spent on the subject in hand. Keep the meeting agenda in front of you as a guide.
4. Keep an eye on the time.
5. Start on time, don't spend time on friendly conversation.
6. At the start explain to everyone the agenda and your expectations.
7. Park additional items - make a note of important additional questions, but don't discuss them if they aren't included in agenda.
8. If a topic over runs its allocated time then it is the duty of the chair to curtail the discussion so other points can receive their proper attention.
9. To enable this to happen you must keep the agenda in front of you at all times while having an eye on the clock.
10. One eye on the agenda, one eye on the clock, both ears to the meeting.
11. Write in advance important points and decisions.
12. Take notes for yourself using your laptop. This will enable you to send notes to everyone without spending time for retyping.
13. Don't write in the notes ideas you can't share with others.
14. Use your agenda to make a table of contents for your notes.
15. Additionally if the meeting becomes bogged down because two or more participants are hogging the time allotted the chair must take the necessary action.
16. How would I deal with this situation?
17. In particular the chair must determine if the two sides are likely to reach agreement before the next item is due or should the topic be deferred to a later date.
18. Is there anything we haven't covered or anything you would like to bring to the meeting's attention.
19. Process and send meeting notes to attendees the same day the meeting has happened.

Vocabulary

• allocated - distribute (resources or duties) for a particular purpose
• allotted - give or apportion (something) to someone
• attendees - a person who attends a conference or other gathering
• bogged down - if you get bogged down in something, it prevents you from making progress or getting something done
• curtail - reduce in extent or quantity; impose a restriction on
• decision - a conclusion or resolution reached after consideration
• deferred - put off (an action or event) to a later time; postpone
• disrupt – interrupt (an event, activity, or process) by causing a disturbance or problem
• duty - a moral or legal obligation; a responsibility
• hogging - take or use most or all of (something) in an unfair or selfish way
• in advance - ahead of time
• in particular - usually
• keep an eye on the time - watch the time
• over runs - goes beyond
• retyping - type (text) again on a typewriter or computer
• salient points - important points (key points)
• table of contents - contents
• take charge of - to be responsible for
• take notes for - to write notes for