MEETINGS

Commonly used words/expressions: call call arrange arrange schedule schedule hold hold cancel cancel postpone (put off) postpone (put off) reschedule reschedule attend attend moderate moderate chair chair close close a meeting

People involved the chairperson the chairperson chairman, chairwoman, chair (n., v.) Jim will chair (v.) the meeting next week. the participants the participants the secretary (?) the secretary (?)

Chairing a meeting The chairperson is in charge of: Chairing a meeting The chairperson is in charge of: Opening the meeting: introducing the objectives, agenda, participants, procedure, timing and output Opening the meeting: introducing the objectives, agenda, participants, procedure, timing and output Facilitating and moderating:interrupting & encouraging the speakers Facilitating and moderating:interrupting & encouraging the speakers Controlling (time & agenda) Controlling (time & agenda) Summarising (what has been said or agreed) Summarising (what has been said or agreed) Concluding (defining action points and closing) Concluding (defining action points and closing)

Participants (Attendees) Participants take part in the discussion Participants take part in the discussion↓ giving and seeking opinions, agreeing, disagreeing, interrupting, commenting, suggesting, … giving mini-presentations

The secretary (or a participant) is responsible for......recording the... names of the participants names of the participants topics discussed (items of the agenda) topics discussed (items of the agenda) arguments in favour and against (pros & cons) arguments in favour and against (pros & cons) decisions made decisions made voting details voting details action points (who, what, when) action points (who, what, when) date, place, time of the next meeting date, place, time of the next meeting... and for distributing the minutes within a reasonable time

Administrative considerations (Meeting paperwork) Writing a memo Writing a memo Writing the agenda Writing the agenda Taking the minutes (writing up the minutes) Taking the minutes (writing up the minutes)

LANGUAGE FOCUS phrases typically used in meetings phrases typically used in meetings downtoning + making suggestions downtoning + making suggestions

LANGUAGE FOCUS cont. Make your point firmly, but politely Downtoning Making suggestions/proposals

Is this appropriate in meetings? “Finish the report by tomorrow!” “Finish the report by tomorrow!” “You cannot take a day off!” “You cannot take a day off!” “You must never be late again. Next time this happens I’ll fire you!” “You must never be late again. Next time this happens I’ll fire you!” Or can we make it sound more polite?

How to make our statements sound less confrontational? “we” / “let’s” (rather than “you”) perhaps / maybe a bit / just / a little / slightly would / could / may / might I’m afraid... Use of “negatives” or “opposites” to soften the meaning

Downtoning Avoid: “You must reduce the price.” (sounds confrontational) we, let’s, perhaps/maybe, Use the following: we, let’s, perhaps/maybe, a little/slightly/a bit/, may/might, could,would, it won’t be bad if, I’m afraid

Why don’t we …, Let’s …, Perhaps …, Maybe … ?

“Why don’t we consider reducing the price?” “Let’s see what happens if the price is reduced.” “Perhaps we should consider reducing the price.” “Maybe you could reduce the price.”

a little, slightly, a bit, just

“The price is a little too high for us.” “The price is slightly too high for us.” “The price is a bit too high for us.” “The price is just too high for us.”

May, might, could, would I wonder if …, It won’t be bad if…, I’m afraid…

“I wonder if you could reduce the price.” “Would you be prepared to reduce the price?” “The price may be too high for us.” “The price might be too high for us.” “It won’t be bad if the price is lower.” “I’m afraid the price is too high for us.”

Making suggestions/proposals Confrontational: “You’re against my proposal and you didn’t even read the report????”

Making suggestions/proposals Confrontational: “You’re opposing my idea and you didn’t even read the report???” didn’t even read the report???” I advise you to read the report first. I suggest reading the report first. I suggest that we should read the report first. I suggest that we read the report first. Why don’t we read the report first? Shall we read the report first?

Make your point firmly, but politely “That ‘s a very bad solution.”

Why don’t we …, Let’s …, Perhaps …, Maybe … I suggest... ?

Why don’t we …, Let’s …, Perhaps …, Maybe …, I suggest... Why don’t we consider another option? Let’s find another solution. Perhaps we could discuss another possibility. Maybe we could consider some other options. I suggest we should consider another option.

May, might, could, would I wonder if …, It won’t be bad if…, I’m afraid…

This idea may have some value, but we could also discuss other options. I wonder if we could think of a different way to solve the problem. It won’t be bad if we now think of other possibilities. I’m afraid this idea may not be the best solution for us at the moment.

a little, slightly, a bit, just

This proposal may be a little too ambitious for us at the moment. Could we think of a slightly more realistic solution? This may be a bit complicated for us at the moment. This solution is coming just too late for us now.

Assignment Class assignment: Class assignment: Tone down the three statements (Slide 29). Use two different downtoning devices for each (tot. 6 statements).

: we - let’s perhaps - maybe a little – slightly - a bit, may – might – could - would, it won’t be bad if, I’m afraid “Finish the report by tomorrow!” “Finish the report by tomorrow!” “You cannot take a day off!” “You cannot take a day off!” “You must never be late again. Next time this happens I’ll fire you.” “You must never be late again. Next time this happens I’ll fire you.”

Meetings (revision)

Fill in the missing words (1): 1. We’d better... down to business. 2. We’ve got a very... agenda. 3. On... of XYZ Co., I am very glad to... you here, for coming here today. 5. This is John Kane. He is... charge... the project. 6. The... of today’s meeting is to solve the problem of the major decline in sales. 7. There are three... on the We’ll go... the table. 9. Could you clarify... that, please? 10. Is there any other...?

Fill in the missing words (2): 1. I’d like to finish... 7 o’clock. 2. The meeting is... to finish at So, what you are... is that the company will be in trouble soon. 4. I hope you don’t mind... I take over now? 5. How... creating a new service for them? 6. He suggests... a loan with a reliable bank. 7. I agree to some It’s out That... us to the end of our meeting today.

Check if you have done the previous exercises correctly in the RB. Check if you have done the previous exercises correctly in the RB.