Monday 18 June 2012

Gaining skills for Chairing Meetings

Working for Macmillan Cancer Support with the Thames Valley Cancer Network to facilitate a course on Chairing and Facilitation Skills.

This is a very interactive workshop helping participants to consider the purpose of any meeting, the role the person who is chairing can have in setting the vision, establishing the principles and values as much as getting through the business.

Effective and good chairing is more akin to hosting a meal, coaching a team and conducting an orchestra.

There are different stages: invitations, menu planning, considering the needs of those you have invited; there are the starters (welcome, introductions and the previous minutes), the mains (items for information, discussion and decision) and the dessert (highlighting items for future dialogue).

Caring for the individuals who attend the meeting and ensuring that everyone gets an opportunity to talk in a key element of building a team. Just as asking them to go further is an essential feature.

As with any orchestra, practice and rehearsal of issues are important but it is the conductor who sets the tone, builds the atmosphere and helps make the sounds of individual musicians and sections to come together.

The workshop will look at room set up, agenda setting, minutes and actions along with follow up and preparation for the next meeting. A little bit of time will be spent on people's behaviour.

Hopefully a good day.



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