1. Focussing on the purpose and aim of the meeting

One of the biggest timewasters in meetings is when people don’t stick to the point. But do they know what the point is? Is the aim of the meeting absolutely clear? Does everyone really know whether they’re here to brainstorm ideas, exchange experiences, receive information, reach a decision – or a combination of these?

Beginning the meeting by stating its purpose and being specific about what should have been achieved by the end of it provides a clear roadmap and makes it much more likely that the desired outcome will be achieved.

Get off to a clear and purposeful start by saying:

• As you’ll have seen from the agenda, we’re meeting today to …
• There are three items on the agenda today. Firstly …, secondly …, thirdly …
• By the end of this meeting, we need to have …
  
• The main reason for this meeting is …
  
• Our main aim today is to …, this will then allow us to …
• Today’s meeting is an important step in …

2. Keeping the meeting on track

Perhaps the most important task the chair has is to ensure the meeting stays on track. This includes recognising when a point has been discussed sufficiently and moving on to the next, timekeeping and ensuring that everyone sticks to the point, bringing a discussion to a conclusion if it threatens to go on forever.

Meetings often stall and time is wasted when a topic is discussed longer than necessary. Everything has been said, but not yet by everyone 😉 Move the meeting along by saying:

• I think that covers the first item. This brings us to …
• We’ve collected a lot of good ideas on this point. Let’s carry on with …
• Thank you for sharing your experiences on this topic. The next point is …
• If nobody has anything to add, let’s move on to …

As the chair you’re responsible for good timekeeping and bringing the participants back to the topic in hand. Intervene with:

• We’re running short of time.
• We’re on a very tight schedule, so please be brief.
• We only have another 10 minutes, so we should focus on …
• I think we’re beginning to lose sight of the main point. Our most important task today is to …
• That’s an important aspect, but it doesn’t really fit in here. Let’s come back to it when …
• That’s something we’ll need to decide later, but at this stage we really need to focus on …

Sometimes a discussion goes round in circles without any decision being made.  You can bring it to a conclusion by saying …

• Maybe we can decide this with a show of hands.
• Please raise your hand if …
• Can anyone suggest a compromise?
• Shall we agree to a compromise? We could …

3. Wrapping up effectively

 All too often the final stage of the meeting is rushed – people get restless, perhaps hoping to grab a cup of coffee before their next appointment. But it’s important to allow enough time and create the space to wrap up the meeting effectively, because this stage can determine just how much impact the meeting has and whether it produces the intended results. Everyone should leave the meeting knowing exactly what has been decided and what the next steps are.

You can begin by summarising what has been decided:

• Let me just sum up what we’ve agreed on.
• I’d like to summarise the points we’ve discussed.
• To summarise, we have decided that …
• What I’m taking away from this meeting is …
• Is there anything else you would like to add?

Bringing the other members of the meeting in to state what they are going to do by when helps strengthen commitment:

• Let’s now each say what we’re going to do by our next meeting on [date] to make sure that we make the progress we need.
• I’d like everyone to briefly state what they’re going to do this week to make sure we reach our goals. Shall I start?

If you’re running a meeting for the first time in English, preparing in advance can really boost your confidence and things run smoothly. I hope this article is useful in your preparations.