Chairing Productive Meetings

By Nadia de Bruin, Owner and Founder of NDJ Consultants and MPowrMe

For many of us, meetings are a fact of life.

Well-run meetings can be effective and valuable to an organisation’s activities, while poorly run meetings waste time and cause frustration.

The Key Attributes of an Ideal Chair include:

Patience:

The control of a meeting can impose a certain degree of strain on its presiding officer, either because the matters being discussed are highly controversial or the members appear to be in a bad mood. Debates in general can lead speakers to repeat themselves or go off on tangents that have no bearing on the subject. If a speaker is digressing excessively from the subject, the chair must refocus the discussion. On the other hand, the chair must allow members to express themselves fully and freely on a matter. The chair must control not only the meeting, but personal attitudes and inappropriate behaviour.

Tact:

The curtailment of debate requires the exercise of considerable tact on the part of the chair. Few speakers welcome an interruption of their remarks from other members or an admonition from the chair. At all times the chair must show interest in the remarks and respect for the speaker.

Dignity:

The chair must uphold the dignity of the position. The chair who lacks respect for the office also lacks respect for the meeting being held. As a result, the members themselves will eventually lose interest and the committee will disintegrate.

Decisiveness:

A chair should analyse the thinking leading to any decision he or she makes at a meeting, and once satisfied that the decision is correct, should adhere to it. A decision, once made, must be applied uniformly to all members, regardless of their official status.

Impartiality:

The chair should be above all personal animosities or group intrigues in the conduct of the proceedings. The respect of the meeting will be lost if the chair plays favorites or appears antagonistic to certain members.

Courtesy:

Courtesy is an attribute that helps meetings proceed smoothly and pleasantly. The chair must be firm yet courteous to both members and guests.

Perception:

The chair must be able to sense the feeling of the meeting and know when to bring a subject to a vote. Pointless repetition of arguments is tiresome and time-consuming.

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