Group Work: Group Meetings
You will need to communicate with other members of your group. You may set up a What's App or other app chat group use an online platform, but you're more likely to have meetings. Group meeting need some structure; you can't just randomly chat about things! To provide some structure think about the following:
Have an Agenda
The first, and maybe the most important, thing to do to impose some structure on a group meeting. An agenda is a list of topics to discuss at the meeting. If any group members have anything else they want to raise at the meeting, include this as A.O.B (any other business) - this should be a standing item on every meeting's agenda
Have a Chairperson (Chair)
It's conventional for group meetings - of any kind - to have a chair. The role of the chair is to:
- help meetings run smoothly and efficiently
- follow the agenda
- maintain order
- ensure everyone gets to have their say
- ensure that everyone has a safe space to share their ideas
- keep the meeting on topic
You should have a different chairperson for each meeting.
Take Notes
You can all take individual notes but there should be an official note taker for the meeting. Like the chair, there should be rotated through all group members. If they're unsure of or unclear of what was said, the note taker should ask for clarification before writing the note. It's good practice to send the notes round to the group fairly soon after the end of the meeting - maybe the next day as opposed to the next week.
Have a list of actions arising
Probably you'll decide that there's new stuff to do - new tasks, or problems that have arisen that need addressed. These have to be noted along with who is responsible for them. The actions arising are then part of the agenda for the next meeting.
Other Tips
Before the meeting
- Circulate the agenda
- Ensure you have done any tasks or actions that were your responsibility
During the Discussion
- [Chair] Check everyone can see and hear everyone else
- Be open to new ideas
- Write down useful information
- Write down questions to ask
- If you don’t understand something, ask [especially if you're the note-taker]
- Try to link what you hear to what you already know
- Participate. This could take the form of encouraging others if you have no ideas of your own to add to any discussion
After the Discussion
- Go over your notes
- Check that you know exactly what tasks and action you must do and when to do them by
- Do the task and actions that you agreed to do
Tips for Better Participation
- Show positive body language: nod agreement, smile & look interested
- Be positive and encouraging. e.g., saying ‘yes, that’s a good idea’; ‘yes, I agree’
- Put away your mobile phone
- Don't interrupt
- Ask questions. e.g., ‘how do we do that?’
- Make suggestions that build on the speaker’s ideas
- Disagree respectfully and politely. if you disagree with the speaker’s comments, ask questions. Having to think about a response may lead the speaker to see flaws in their arguments
