Today we would continue our discussions on participation in meeting providing strategic guides and direction to participants in a meeting. These guides are necessary and important so as productive and successful meetings could be held. We addressed issues such as Terms of Reference, Agenda, initial meeting and membership of committee in our last outing. What follows is a confirmation of the discussions for the benefit of readers.
Leadership/Secretariat: More often than not participants in a meeting are selected and given positions such as chairman, Vice Chairman and Secretary. Participants should note and accord the chair of a meeting the respect the leadership deserves. Minutes of meetings should be documented adequately and appropriately by the designated secretary. Where no leadership is appointed prior to the first meeting, participants should appoint a Leader and Secretary so as to avoid having a rancorous meeting. The discussion should be orderly and brisk. We shall discuss minutes writing in our subsequent article.
Quorum: In some instances, certain meetings usually have a quorum requirement. As such a valid meeting can only be held when and where a quorum is formed.
Listen: Ensure you listen carefully and attentively to discussions during the meeting, and jot down (note) any area that you may require further clarification, so you can seek answers at the appropriate time.
Discussions/Debates: Members of the committee are expected to behave decently and orderly during meetings. Respect should be accorded to the leader of the group. Avoid interjecting other members while they are speaking. Speak only when permitted. Do not be too long when given the opportunity to speak. Be mindful of time, other people’s desire to speak and other sensibilities. Never shout down a speaker. Do not shoot an idea even if you disagree. Make efforts to reason and see the point of view of a speaker. Be educated with other view points while you try to educate others with your point of view and or position.
Contribution: ensure you contribute confidently, meaningfully, within the topic of discussion you are meant to handle, and through the meeting duration. In addition, one should endeavour to address all enquiries that may come your way respectfully and confidently. Where you are unable to respond accurately to a question or even get the response immediately, it’s ok to revert to the meeting participants by email or other means after the meeting or during subsequent meetings.
Avoid distractions: Ensure you are not fiddling with your phone during a meeting, as this will divide your attention and communicate disrespect for the meeting and its participants. It is best to leave one’s phone on silent mode. Since you have activated the automatic out of office response email, it is expected that no email would go unanswered, and as such, no one would expect a quick response from you (in respect of any issue).
Do not sleep/doze during a meeting: If requesting for a cup of coffee during your meeting will keep you at alert, please do so. Sleeping or dozing off at a meeting where you have your seniors, colleagues, etc., is extremely rude, disrespectful and reflects a wrong impression about the participant. One could also request a bottle/glass of water, during the meeting.
Decisions/Resolutions: After exhaustive discussions and or deliberations of any issue members present at a meeting must reach a conclusion. A position should be reached on any issue tabled for discussion. A position may be agreed on or disagreed on an issue except where there may need to be additional information required before the conclusion, a matter may be deferred pending further investigation and discussions.
Motion: In concluding on any matter, members of a committee may unanimously agree or adopt a position. In the alternative, a member may be asked to propose a motion (note that I did not say move a motion) and the motion may be seconded by another member. A counter-motion may be proposed when and if there is a need.
Linguistic Professionals believe that it is grammatically wrong to say ‘I move a motion’ because it is tautology hence the use of the phrase ‘propose a motion’.
Voting: Where a motion is proposed, members may unanimously agree with a motion. Where there may be differences or dissents, a motion may be put to vote and majority carry the day except in certain circumstances where a member may have a golden vote e.g in United Nations Security Council Meeting where the five permanent members have a gold vote each.
More often than not, most decisions of committees are by consensus. Seldom you come across decisions being reached on strength of votes.
Weight of vote: Members of a committee usually have the same vote and no one vote weigh heavier than another except as described above in the case of the golden vote. However, during shareholders meeting a person with one million shares would have more votes than a person with a hundred thousand shares.
We shall continue next week on this important aspect of meeting and would conclude the discussion on participation.
“Recite: In the name of thy Lord who created man from a clot. Recite: And thy Lord is the Most Generous Who taught by the pen, taught man that which he knew not.”
