Meetings

• Meetings


  A gathering together of people for a purpose
• Purpose of a meeting

  • To discuss and generate ideas
  • To make decisions
  • To consult and solve problems
  • To set targets and objectives
  • To delegate roles and tasks
  • To motivate, encourage and persuade
  • Team building
  • Where there is a significant amount of info to be given to a number of people
• Formal meetings


  The admin assistant usually plays the role of secretary. Formal meetings are usually held for a specific purpose and at regular intervals e.g. AGM's (Annual General Meetings) of a public limited company which has to be held by law.
• Formal meetings usually follow certain rules and regulations set out in an official document called a Constitution
• Minutes of the formal meeting will be taken and kept as a record of what has been discussed
• EGM's (Extraordinary General Meeting)


  Another type of Formal Meeting
• Informal meetings


  Frequently held in business and can range from two members of staff talking at coffee break about a topic related to their work, to weekly meetings of sales teams. Informal meetings differ from formal ones as they take place without specific rules being followed. No chairperson is required and they are often run by a team leader.
• Requirements for validity of meetings

  • Properly Convened - this means that the relevant notice must be given to every person entitled to attend
  • Properly Constituted - the chairperson (or accepted substitute) must be present and a suitable quorum must be present
  • Held in accordance with rules and regulations - governing the conduct of meetings of the particular organisation, these are set out in: A companies Articles of Association, A club's constitution, A local authorities standing order
• Events


  A thing that happens or takes place, especially one of importance. A planned public or social occasion
• Role of Office Bearers


  • Chairperson
  • Secretary
  • Treasurer
• Chairperson


  Responsible for keeping order at a meeting and generally taking charge of the meeting
• Secretary (or Admin Assistant)


  Provides admin support during the meeting
• Treasurer


  Responsible for preparing financial reports and presenting this information at the meeting. In business the Finance Director or Chief Accountant would perform this role.
• Chair Responsibilities


  1. Before a meeting or event: Make themselves familiar with the firms standing order (the rules concerning the organisation and the running of their meetings), Ensure minutes of the previous meeting are correct, Liaise with secretary to ensure minutes have been done and checked

  2. During a meeting or event: Start the meeting on time so that it does not run over time, Sign the minutes once everyone has agreed to them, Work consistently through the agenda and explain clearly the items to be discussed, Try to ensure everyone gets the chance to talk, Decide when discussions have gone on long enough, Put matters to a vote and summarise decision, Close the meeting formally

  3. After a meeting or an event: Take appropriate follow up action if required, Liaise with the secretary to prepare draft minutes and agenda for next meeting
• Secretary (or Admin Assistant) Responsibilities

  1. Before a meeting or event: Book the venue - ensure car parking is available or book if required, Note the time, date, place and nature of meeting, Draft a notice of meeting and agenda for the chairperson, Prepare and distribute the notice of meeting and agenda, Note apologies of absence and have an attendance register, Order any refreshments required, keeping in mind any dietary requirements for their signature, Prepare and circulate any important documents e.g. notice, agenda, minutes of previous meeting etc, Prepare directions to the venue and send them out to participants in advance if the place of meeting is not at a regular venue, Book 'Break Out' rooms for any private discussions that need to take place away from the main body of the meeting, Prepare nameplates, badges or a seating plan for people who do not know each others

  2. On the day of the meeting: Check the room meets the requirement, Check the resources are working, Inform reception and issue them with a lost of everyone attending the meeting if they have secure entry system, Arrive early to set up and welcome participants, Have an attendance list in the room for signing

  3. During a meeting or event: Have a seat beside the chairperson for easy access of documents, Inform the meeting of any apologies received, Read and ensure everyone signs the minutes of the meeting, Assist the chairperson, Take notes at the meeting including any action needed to take place after the meeting, Make sure everyone signed the attendance list

  4. After a meeting or an event: Tidy the room and remove any items that were used, Read over your notes and key up their minutes as soon as possible after the meeting, Check that the minutes are accurate with the chairperson, Send the minutes to anyone who was absent from the meeting, Prepare a list of actions that the chairperson needs to carry out before the next meeting, Write the date and time of next meeting into your diary, Ensure any documents used are returned to their correct cabinets and files
• Utterson: "god forgive us, god forgive us" - reflects his moral concerns, plea for forgiveness and shows he's a religious man "long, lean, dusty, dreary" - serious character, quite dull, "