A meeting is as successful as the positive contributions and professional behaviour of its members. There are various ways you can contribute in a meeting, sometimes in a formal way (as chair, vice chair or scribe) and many informal ways through speaking, summarising, guiding a small discussion, or asking questions to clarify what you have heard. Meetings are for the benefit of all and should allow a wide variety of contributions, including the ability to raise concerns constructively and positively.
Responsibilities of the chair
- The chair is responsible for managing the meeting and ensuring that as many people as time allows have the opportunity to speak or ask questions and be listened to.
- The chair will aim to ensure that papers are issued in a timely manner to aid discussion and keep to agenda timings.
- They need to manage contributions, encourage contributions from a diverse group of colleagues, keep contributors from repeating themselves, and ensure a few individuals do not monopolise the time. This will ensure that inclusivity and courtesy are maintained.
- They should avoid leading the conversation themselves and/or directly answering questions themselves if someone else with appropriate expertise is available.
- They should check beforehand whether there are any accessibility requirements, for example, sight or hearing impairment, so that no individual is disadvantaged.
- They have the right to eject a participant from a meeting if the code of conduct is being broken.
Responsibilities of all members of the meeting
- To be present, listen and attend with positive intent.
- To address colleagues courteously and treat other colleagues with respect. Colleagues should feel comfortable enough to make their contributions –and, where appropriate, use Chatham House rules.
- To signal their intention to the chair (or contributor) if they wish to speak and wait to be invited to speak.
- To listen and be open-minded to innovation and other opinions and be prepared to learn from others.
- Respect others’ opinions. Should one member disagree with another, then there is a respectful and courteous way to disagree. It is everyone’s responsibility to call out unacceptable behaviour. Nobody should feel bullied or insulted or be verbally attacked by another member.
- Seek to understand and be tolerant.
- Be non-judgemental.
- Criticisms should be made constructively and, where relevant, solutions proposed.