HandouttakenfromEnglishLanguageCommunicationWorkshopforStudentRepresentativeCouncil(MPP08/09)

2009

CONDUCTINGMEETINGS
MeetingPhase
Opening
Geteveryone
acquaintedand
orientedforthe
meeting

Task
Greettheparticipants

LanguageExpressions
Goodmorning
Goodafternoon(124pm)
Goodevening(412midnight)
Assalamualaikum
Welcomeparticipants
Thankyouforcoming.
Introducenewmembers Allowmetointroduceyoutoourcommittee
members
Today,wehavewithusPMKhairiIzwanAbdullah
fromtheEnglishLanguageUnit
Itsourhonourtohavewithus,Professor
Tajuddin,theDeputyViceChancellorofStudents
AffairsandAlumni
Askforapologies
Iseveryonepresent?
Mr.Rahimhasinformedmethathecantmakeit
todaybecauseheisnotfeelingwell.
Reviewtheagenda,
Thepurposeoftodaysmeetingis
objectivesofthe
Thisiswhatwehaveonouragendafortoday.
meeting,desired
Thereareseveralurgentmattersthatcallforour
outcomes,etc.
immediateattention.Theyare
Weareheretodiscussafewmatterspertaining
to
Bytheendofthismeeting,weshouldhave
discussed
Wehopetobeabletoreachadecisionbytheend
ofthismeeting
Wehopetobeabletocomeupwithseveral
solutionstotheproblemshighlightedearlier.
Reviewthekeyrolessuch Janicewillbeinchargeoftakingnotestoday.
aswhostakingnotes,
Paulwasthetreasurer,Kumarthepublic
whoisinchargeofwhat
relationsofficer
(ifitisacommittee
meeting),etc.

HandouttakenfromEnglishLanguageCommunicationWorkshopforStudentRepresentativeCouncil(MPP08/09)

2009

MeetingPhase
Task
WORK
Startthediscussion

Activelyworkonthe
taskandissuesofthe
meeting

Seekopinionfrom
others

Ensurespeaking
chances

Giving
praises/encouragement

Getagreement

Manageconflict

Express
opinion/viewpoints

Askforclarification

LanguageExpressions
Letusstartwiththefirstitemontheagenda.
Shallwebegin?
Shallwestartwithhearingthereportfrom
Letusbeginthediscussionwithdecidingtheduration
oftheworkshop.
Whatdoyouthink?
Whatsyouropiniononthismatter?
Wouldyouliketosaysomething?
Whataboutyou,Kamal?
Whydoyousayso?
Doyouagreewithhim?
Wouldyouliketoadd?
Doesanyonehaveanyideaaboutthis?
LetshearfromJim.
LetshearwhatSitihastosay.
Onemoment,Jim.Sitihassomethingtosay.
LetshearwhatSitihastosayfirst,thenJim.
Susan,youhaventsaidanythingaboutthisyet.Maybe
youwouldliketoadd?
Thatsagreatidea,Sam.
IthinkLisasideaisthesolutiontoourproblem.
Yoursuggestionmayjustwork.
Danielsideasoundsgood.Couldwediscussitfurther?
Doeseveryoneagreewiththisplan?
Areweallinagreement?
Anyobjections?
Idontthinkthetwoofyouareasfarapartasyou
think.
Yourideasareactuallyrathersimilar.Youareand
he/sheisAmIright?
Letsnotfightaboutit.Imsurewecanreachfinda
solutionmidway.
Inmyopinion,/Ithink
Whatif
Maybewecould/weshould
Isuggestwe/Lets
Istronglybelieve
AsfarasImconcerned
Inmyview/Frommypointofview
Can/Couldyoupleaserepeat?
Excuseme?
Ibegyourpardon?
Sorry?
Isitpossibleforyoutoformeplease?
Wouldyoubesokindasto?
Doyoumind

HandouttakenfromEnglishLanguageCommunicationWorkshopforStudentRepresentativeCouncil(MPP08/09)

2009

Pointoutadifferent
perspective

Highlightimportant
facts

Challengeanotherpoint
ofview

Reassure

Thereare,ifImaysayso,certainpointsyoushould
bearinmind
Thereareotherconsiderations.Forexample
Ifwelookatitinanotherlight
Seenfromanotherangle,onecouldsay
Iwonderifyouveconsidered
Iparticularlywanttoemphasizethefactthat
Thispointishighlysignificant
Letmesayagainhowimportantitisto
Wemustntunderestimatetheimportanceof
Iwouldliketoremindyouthat
Iwishtodrawyourattentionto
Iwonderifthatviewisjustifiedinthelightof
Idontthinkyoufullyappreciatethefactthat
Itwouldbeinyourowninterestto
Iwouldbeinclinedto,ifIwereyou
Theresnocauseforconcernasfarasisconcerned
Letmeassureyoustraightawayonthatpoint
Icanassureyouthat
Weunderstandyourconcernaboutandweassure
youthatwewilldoeverythinginourpowerto
Youneednothaveanyfearsabout
WhatIwantedtosaywas
Thatsnot(exactly)whatImeant
Inotherwords
ThatisnotwhatImgettingat
Sorry,letmeexplainitmoreclearly
(Please)Dontgetmewrong,whatImeantwas
AllIwastryingtosayis

Clarify
misunderstandings

Interruptandtoreturn

(Im)sorrytointerrupt
Sorry,can/mayIinterruptyouforasecond
Excuseme/Pardonme
IfImayinterruptforasecond
Sorry,butdidIhearyousay
AsIwassaying
Goingbackto
(Yes,well)anyway

Agreeing

Iagree(withyou).
Icantagreewithyoumore.
IshareAlisviews.
Ithinkthatsagoodidea.
Thatsright!

Disagreeing

Idisagree.
Iseeyourpoint,but..
Thatsagoodpoint.However,
Ibegtodiffer
ImafraidIhaveadifferentview

HandouttakenfromEnglishLanguageCommunicationWorkshopforStudentRepresentativeCouncil(MPP08/09)

2009

Preventamonopoly

Persuade

Well,thankyou.Butwehavetomoveontothenext
itemontheagenda.
Iamsorrytointerruptyou,butweneedtomoveonto
thenextitemofourdiscussion.
Thankyouforyourthoughtsonthat.Nowletsturnto
thenextitem.
Thankyou.Yourpointiswellnoted.Canwemoveonto
thenextitem,now?
Thankyouforyourideas.Now,letsturntothenext
item.
Wouldntyouagreethat?
Seenfromanotherangle,onecouldsay
Ifwewereto,thenwewould
Inviewofallthefactsthatwehavediscussed,would
younotagreethat?
Afterconsideringthechoices,wouldntyou?
Ithinkwecanagreethatthebestwaytoproceed
wouldbeto

MeetingPhase
ClosingtheMeeting

Bringingthemeeting
toaclear,constructive
close

Task
Reiteratekey
points/decisions
made/person
responsible/upcoming
tasks/etc.

Obtainfeedback

Thankthegroup
members

Close

LanguageExpressions
Wehavecometoanendofourmeeting.Lets
recapwhatwehavediscussed.
Letslookatwhatwehavediscussedsofar.
Wehavedecidedthat.
Thesearewhatwehavediscussedanddecided
on.
Laila,youwillbeinchargeofYourjobis
Inournextmeeting,weshouldhavecompleted
thefirstphaseofourplanning.
Ithinkwevecoveredeverything.Ournext
meetingwillbeonMondayat10a.m..Everyone
shouldbereadywithyourprogressreport.
Didwemissoutanything?
Havewecoveredeverything?
Doesanyonehaveanythingtoadd?
Thankyouonceagainforcoming.
Thankyoufortheproductivediscussion.
Thankyouforallyourideasandcontributions.
Thismeetingisnowover.
Assalamualaikum/Thankyou

Adapted from:
Harvard Business School Press. (2006). Running Meetings: Expert solutions to everyday challenges. Massachusetts: Harvard Business School
Publishing.
Nor Azni Abdullah, Noorzan Hj Mohd Noor, Teh, C.S. & Foo, K.. (2008). Communication skills for the workplace. Selangor: August Publishing Sdn. Bhd.