Uhl2432 Unit 3

UHL 2432 ENGLISH FOR PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION
Universiti Malaysia PAHANG UNIT 3 Group Communication Skills
STUDENT MODULE Semester 1 2015/2016 MR/FA 0

3 GROUP COMMUNICATION SKILLS

TOPIC OUTLINE
Week 11: 1st Meeting Prepared by
3.1 MEETING SKILLS
3.1.1 Definitions of a meeting Miss Marziah
3.1.2 Forms of meetings Ramli
3.1.3 Purpose of meeting (internal / external)
3.1.4 How to conduct an effective meeting
Week 11: 2nd Meeting
3.1.5 Roles in meetings
i) Language input for leading a meeting
ii) Language input for participating in meetings
Week 12: 1st Meeting
3.2 MEETING DOCUMENTS
3.2.1 Notice of Meeting
3.2.2 Meeting Agenda
Week 12: 2nd Meeting Miss Fatimah Ali
3.2.3 Minutes of Meeting
i) Types of Minutes
ii) Language Skills Required for the Writing of Minutes
Week 13: 1st Meeting
3.2.3 Minutes of Meeting
i) Exercises on writing minutes of a meeting
Week 13: 2nd Meeting
Role-play of meeting presentation

Week 14: 1st and 2nd Meetings Miss Marziah
Assessment 5 Final Project: Meeting presentation & Meeting Ramli
Documents (40%)
By the end of this unit, students will be able to:

- differentiate the types of meeting, their aims and purposes
- demonstrate the ability to lead and participate effectively in a meeting
- use correct language expressions as a chairman and participants in a meeting
- practise appropriate non-verbal communication in meetings
- create meeting documents according to the correct format

WEEK 11 – 1st Meeting
3.1 MEETING SKILLS
Activity 1
Find a short hidden message in the list of words below.
gel flu iceberg band elephant
fly bamboo ride employer elf fee nose
crab hazelnut isolation rev escape
moon lane empty let iron sun gift
Hints: Starting with the first two words, take the first and last letters, reading from left to right.
Answer:
_______________ _______________ _______________ _______________
Introduction to Effective Meeting Skills

Activity2
Click the link above on “Just for Laugh – Toilet in Meeting Room” and answer the following
questions.
Which character do you find the most interesting? What did this character do?
• _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
• _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
How would you have responded differently? Why?
•_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
•_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Definitions of a Meeting
A gathering of two or more persons in order to discuss a matter, share ideas or

experiences and reaching agreement.
It may vary in term of type, purpose, scope, style sand size.
It can range from huge formal conferences involving large numbers of

representatives from many companies, down to informal gatherings for two or
three people.
Whatever the size of the meeting, it is a means of making decisions,

exchanging information, or solving problems.
It is a forum where participants are able to make suggestions, air opinions or

express criticisms.
Forms of meetings
Meetings may occur face-to-face or virtually:
i. Face-to-face meeting
allows for more personal interaction as the meeting facilitator

and the participants may communicate face to face
requires higher cost for long distance travelling and attending the
meeting
may be conducted in a form of formal or informal meeting

ii. Virtual Communication
meetings are mediated by communications technology,

such as a telephone conference call, Facebook, Twitter
and a skyped conference call or video conference.
will cut down cost as long distance travelling can be

avoided
may be conducted in a form of formal or informal

meeting
(Source: Video conferencing)
A face-to-face meeting or virtual meeting can be formal or informal. What are the characteristics of
formal and informal meetings?
Formal meetings Informal meetings
• Formal meetings are restricted by formal rules • There are no formal rules.
as stated in the Standing Orders.
• There must be an official quorum, i.e. the • Informal meetings do not
minimum number of people who should be necessarily have strict agendas
present in order to validate the meeting. (especially in discussion sessions or
brainstorming).
• A notice must be given to members in advance • The members are not notified in
/ formal invitation. advance as it is not properly planned
/ no formal invitation
• Full written records of the meeting should be • Informal notes may be taken but
kept. may not necessarily be kept.
• Examples of the meeting: • Examples of the meeting:
Annual General Meeting, Extraordinary Team briefing, Problem solving,
General Meeting, Board meetings, Project groups & Working parties
Shareholders meetings, Employer / staff
association, Branch meeting etc.

Activity3
Decide whether the following statements are True ( T ) or False ( F ).

1) Face-to-face meeting allows you to interpret facial expressions, hand gestures and voice
tone of the speaker during the discussion. ( )
2) A meeting is a gathering of two or more persons in order to discuss a matter, share ideas or
experiences and reach an agreement. ( )
3) Facebook and skype conference are very suitable for face-to-face communication.
( )
4) In formal meetings, the members are notified in advance via email or company memo.
( )
5) Written records of formal meetings should never be kept. ( )
6) Annual General Meeting, Extraordinary General Meeting, team briefing, board meetings
and shareholders meetings are examples of formal meetings. ( )
7) Meeting provides opportunity for participants to give suggestions, state opinions or voice
out their criticisms. ( )
8) Formal meetings are restricted by formal rules. ( )
9) To conduct virtual meeting, you need to spend more money on travelling expenses.
( )
10) Virtual meetings can be formal or informal. ( )

Purpose of meeting
The purpose of meetings can be grouped into two:

1. Informational meetings (sharing information / coordinating actions)
2. Decision-making meetings (problem solving, analysis, persuasion)
Meetings will only be effective when:
the possible existence

the aim of the
of barriers has been
there has been proper meeting is clear and
recognised and plans
preparations; understood by
made to overcome
everyone;
them;
the meeting is
communication takes
monitored to ensure
content is relevant; place in an ordered
the aim is being/has
manner;
been achieved;
meeting documents
those involved possess
(notice, agenda,
and use the necessary
minutes) are well
skills;
delivered.
Aims and Purposes of Meetings

A meeting will only be useful if everyone attending knows why it is being held and what is supposed
to be achieved, i.e. the outcome. Thus, knowing the aim and purpose of having a meeting is very
important. Common reasons for calling for meetings are:
1) An exchange of current information. The purpose can be:

i. To give information:
 to hear a statement of policy
 to receive instructions, or learn about new procedures
 to brief a group of staff and opportunities to question/discuss

ii. To obtain information or ideas:
 to hear subordinates' views about an issue.
 to investigate a situation
 to obtain information for a report
2) Progressing or coordinating activities:
 to discuss what action is needed
 to co-ordinate the work of different departments or sections
3) Airing feelings or grievances:
 to allow people to let off steam
4) Negotiating a contract or agreement:
 with contractor or other business partners
5) Resolving a problem:
 to clear up confusion
 to overcome an obstacle to the implementation of a plan;
 to discover what the problem is
 to investigate a technical difficulty
6) Taking non-executive actions:
 to gain support for a plan of action
 to gather views and ideas
 to develop capabilities
 to motivate and encourage commitment
7) Taking executive actions:
 to get something done
 to carry out a higher management plan
8) Formulating policy:
 about the use of certain equipment, for example
9) Preparing a plan or recommendation:
 to formulate proposals for senior management to consider
10) Reaching a decision:
 how to apply a plan
 what to do about something

i. Informational meetings (sharing information)
Informational meetings can be divided into two types, i.e.to give information or to obtain
information.Each type has its own nature.
a) To give information:
 The leader provides information / does most of the talking
 Objective : to provide clear and complete information
 In this meeting, leader may present facts, demonstrate a work procedure, introduce new
policy, or give a motivational talk
 The information that will be conveyed must be well-organised, concise and
understandable
 At the end of the session, Q & A sessions will be helpful
b) To obtain information
 Sometimes it is also called as an advisory meeting
 Objective: the leader or team members is seeking data, ideas, facts or opinions from it
 Mostly, the team members will reflect upon the knowledge, experience, and insight of
those in the meeting
 Open, honest discussion is essential to the success in this meeting
 All team members encourage discussion and ask open-ended questions
ii. Decision-making meetings

Decision-making meetings can be divided into three types:
a) Problem solving meetings

 Require back and forth communication between team members
 The necessary background information is provided
 Team members suggest ideas and explore possibilities using brainstorming method
 Team members examines alternatives presented by considering certain aspects i.e.
effectiveness and practicality of the solution, agreement with organisational mission,
staff and budget expectations etc.
b) Analysis
 Can be based on Strengths and Weaknesses (SWOT) analysis.
 SWOT analysis can focus on internal environment ( the situation inside the company or
organisation - for example: performance, quality, people, skills) and the external
environment (the situation outside the company or organisation - for example:
competition, economics, politics, society, culture, technology, environmental,)
c) Persuasion
 Focus on interest
 Being attentive to others opinion to reach goal
(Adapted from: Effective Meeting Skills)

How to conduct an effective meeting
i. Useful Strategies
1. Prepare for the Meeting

• Define the objectives and desired outcomes. Know what you are trying to achieve by having a
meeting.
• Determine if a different activity could be used besides a meeting. A lot of wasted meetings are
called when a couple of phone calls, email, or one-on-ones would have worked better.
• Determine topics to cover and the best format for the discussion of each one. Know what you
want to get accomplished by the meeting.
• Estimate the length of the meeting. People need to know how long to plan for the
meeting.Estimate the length of the meeting. People need to know how long to plan for the
meeting.
2. Identify the place of the meeting
• List participants and guests.

• List what the participants roles are and what is expected from them. This will allow them to
gather all the relevant data they need to bring to the meeting.
• Prepare a structured discussion to frame the purpose, topics, and direction of the meeting.
• Deliver agenda in advance so that the participants have time to plan and prepare for the
meeting.
• Make every meeting a learning event: incorporate creative and cutting edge education on
your particular topic by using books, speakers, or videos. The people attending are giving
up their time for you, you need to give something back to them.
3. Prepare To Attend a Meeting (for all participants)
• Know the purpose of the meeting. Know what your purpose for attending is.
• Gather all data that you need to bring to the meeting.
• Know the agenda of the meeting and ensure your agenda coincides with the meeting agenda.
• Know your role and the path that you are going to follow.
• Arrive on time and be prepared to stay until at least the planned stop time.
• Take the meeting seriously, but do have some fun while attending.
4. Set Up the Meeting Place
• Select a physical setting that is comfortable, big enough, and will serve the purpose.
• Create a warm and attractive atmosphere conducive to interaction.
• Provide appropriate refreshments.
• Have appropriate visual aids and learning aids on hand.
• Always do something a little different and something new. Make them glad that they came.

5. Assign a Note Taker (minutes)

• Who attended.
• What problems were discussed.
• Key decisions reached.
• Next Steps (action items):
• Who needs to accomplish a task - list team and outside members.
• Start and end date of task.
• What is it exactly that they need to accomplish.
6. Start the Meeting

• Communicate the purpose and desired outcomes to all participants.
• Clarify the type of participation and interaction desired.
• Set the ground rules (Norms), e.g.:
• When the meeting will stop and end.
• How each member will be heard.
• How conflict will be resolved.
• What is expected of each member.
• Confidential topics.
• Show that you value their ideas, opinions, and questions.
7. Conduct the Meeting
• Take time to tell and hear stories. Be creative in how you share them.
• Clarify and paraphrase key ideas.
• Ask for different points of view; protect new ideas.
• Use brainstorming techniques:
• Record ideas and notes on a flip chart.
• Use bright colors and bold shapes.
• Use pictures, as well as text.
• Use bullets to emphasise key points.
• Use no more than 7 words per line and 7 lines per chart.
• Keep all flip charts posted so that they can easily be referred back to.
• At the end of the meeting, give them to the note taker so that they can be incorporated into
the minutes.
• Ask open-ended questions to encourage their input.
• Keep the focus on ideas, not on people.
• Assign next steps throughout the meeting. Make all next steps specific assignments.
• Stay focused on the agenda topics. Do wander off topic or become distracted. Agendas are
worth taking seriously but do not stifle creativity or insult participants who stray.

8. Keep the Meeting Focused and Moving

• Get information and data from the meeting. Ensure people are heard.
• Let the people carry the content; you guide the process.
• Acknowledge and reinforce constructive contributions.
• Use the agenda to stay on track.
• Vary the pace: speed up, slow down, take breaks, change tracks.
• Keep the group aware of where they are in the process.
• Periodically summarise key points and ask for agreement.
• Help the group reach consensus and reach conclusions.
9. Closing
• Help the group decide on next steps.
• Review assigned next steps. Ensure each person knows their duties to perform.
• Make sure everyone goes from "meeting" to "doing."
• Conclude by summarizing the group's accomplishments.
• Thank group members sincerely for their participation and contributions.
10. Follow Up (Action Items)
• Evaluate the meeting. What worked? What needs improvement?

• Plan post-meeting logistics.
• Using the minutes and your impressions, create a document that clearly describes the
meeting.
• Use comments, questions, criticisms, and insights to enhance the quality of the document.
• Distribute the document to all participants and other key players within the organisation.
Monitor progress on next steps.

Activity 4
Anita is trying to provide some solutions to possible problems that may arise in her first meeting.
Based on the following information help her solve these problems by matching them to the
following solutions.
Solutions
1.Prepare for the 2. Identify the place of 3. Prepare to attend a meeting
meeting the meeting (for all participants)
4. Set up the meeting place 5. Assign a note taker (minutes)
6. Start the 8. Keep the meeting focused and

7. Conduct the Meeting
meeting moving
9. Closing 10. Follow Up (Action Items)
Problems Solutions
She ought to set the ground rules and clarify when the meeting will adjourn.
She needs to find a comfortable room to conduct a board meeting for 12 people.
Once the meeting is over, she has to prepare a minute that clearly describes the
meeting and distribute it to all participants and other key players within the
organisation.
She needs someone to jot down the name of the attendees and record all the key
decisions reached during the meeting.
She has to conclude the meeting by summarizing the group's accomplishments
and thank them for participating in the meeting.
Who should be invited as participants and what are their roles?
The person she invites may not know the purpose of the meeting and when he
or she should be there.
She doesnot know the objectives and desired outcomes of having a meeting.
She needs to ensure that the group stay focused on the agenda and not easily
distracted by minor issues.
She cannot dominate the discussion as she needs to help the group reaches
consensus by guiding the meeting.

ii. Effective Group Size for Meetings

The size, composition, leadership and organisation are all factors affecting the behaviour and
efficiency of a group meeting. Cost and time are valuable to most people so it is important to
maximise efficiency where meetings are concerned.The number of participants in a meeting can
influence radically how the group functions:
Two people:
• impractical because biased decision can occur
• each person can exercise complete veto over the other
Three people:
• there is a tendency for two members to unite against the third. The odd one
is likely to withdraw into him or herself and stop being productive.
Alternatively the third member could react by setting up a damaging protest
movement.
• three-person meetings also lack the error-correcting characteristics of larger
groups
Four people:
• sharp divergences tend to appear: three against one or two against two
• meetings of this size may have insufficient breadth of experience among
members and lack enough variety and intellectual stimulus to produce good
results
Five to ten:
• people can talk almost as much as they want to and are able to exert influence
over each other
• there is probably sufficient variety of talent and personality to treat problems
imaginatively
• good conditions for interaction and therefore for group problem solving
Over ten people:

• as the group grows in numbers, an increasing number of people are scared
into silence
• intimate face-to-face contact becomes difficult and the group may split into
cliques
• low participators stop talking to other members of the group and either stay
silent or talk only to the few. Thus interaction and creativity freeze
• some large groups, however, can solve certain kinds of problem more
effectively than similar smaller groups
• the more people in the group the more chance there is that it contains an
expert who knows the answer

iii. Effective Meeting Using Nonverbal Communication

Apart of having proper group size for meetings, non-verbal communication during meeting is also
important.
Nonverbal communication
Clothing, appearance,
or body language is the hair and makeup
process of sending styles can also be
unspoken messages through considered as forms of
the use of facial expression, nonverbal
eye contact, sounds, head communication.
movements and gestures.
This is because, only

If it is properly used, 7% of our perceptions
nonverbal come through words
communication is just while another 93%
as effective as verbal come through non-
communication. verbal cues!
(Source: What is Nonverbal Communication?)
Words 7%
Voice, tone &

volume 38% Body
Language
55%

Examples of BAD and GOOD non – verbal communication during meeting
Eye contact Head movement

• (-) gazing, fleeting eye • (-) holding head in your
contact, avoiding hands, stretching head
contact • (+) head nods at
• (+) being attentive appropriate juncture
Facial expressions
• (-) frowning, too Gestures
serious, showing • (-) hand movement,
impatience distracting gestures,
• (+) smiling touching nose ,
scratching, fingers
tapping, clicking pens,
Body posture • (+) taking notes
• (-) slouching, arms
across chest, stretching
aggresively Voice tone, pitch &
volume
• (+) sitting up, facing the
speaker • (-) laughing at the end of
serious utterances, use
high pitch when being
Distance or contact asked
• (+) pause properly ,
• (-) invading others
speaks clearly
space, sitting outside
the group
• (+) shake hands, respect Appearance
personal space • (-) inappropriate
hairstyle, excessive
make-up, shabby attire,
bad body odour
• (+) neat hair, minimal
make -up, formal attire,
fresh odour

Applying non-verbal communication during meeting
Arrive early. You should never be late to your own meeting. Donot make the room
wait as you fumble around for your flash drive or printouts. Set up your
presentation and review your notes before the scheduled start time.
Relax. Having a relaxed presence will inspire your colleagues to relax as well, making
all participants more open to information that will be presented during the meeting.
Smiling is also a great way to relax.
Sit at the end of the table. Donot get lost in a sea of personnel. Be the first person
attendees notice as they enter the room.
Distribute an agenda. Remain seated during the distribution. Pass the pile of paper
to the person seated next to you.
Make eye contact with every speaker at the meeting. Engage with speakers by
facing your body toward them with arms and legs uncrossed. Smile when
appropriate, or listen with concerned interest when a complaint or bad news is
being presented.
Stay still and remain focused. Fidgeting will give your colleagues and clients the
impression that you are nervous or unsure of your position.
Observe cultural differences in business etiquette. In some cultures, the seating
arrangement or standard for greetings may be very different. Training your
colleagues on the cultural expectations of your clients prior to a meeting may
impress your international clients without you ever saying a word.
Sit where you can see everyone. Being able to see everyone present at your
meeting will enable you to make eye contact with all present at least once and keep
everyone engaged in the topic at hand.
Lean forward. Avoid angling your body away from the table or reclining in your
chair. Sit up straight.
Make eye contact. Glance around the table and briefly lock eyes with every member
of the meeting. Hold your gaze to silence any chatty co-workers who do not get the
hint when the agenda is distributed.
Nod your head once. You are ready to begin. Continue to use nonverbal
communication throughout your meeting.
Caution: Avoid clapping your hands or raising your index finger to your mouth.
(Adapted from:How to Call a Meeting to Order with Nonverbal Communication,2012 & How to
Run an Effective Meeting Using Nonverbal Communication, 2012)

Activity 5
Let’s practice non-verbal communication skills by doing a role play! In your group, act out a 2
minutes sketch that conveys any moral values. In doing so, you are only allowed to use the
following tongue twisters as your dialogue. As you act, your audiences need to guess what your
story is all about. Your creativity in applying your eye contact, facial expression, body postures,
distance, head movement, gestures, voice and intonation, and appearance will help the audiences to
understand better.
Rubber baby
Red lorry, Super Red bulb, blue
buggy
yellow lorry superstition! bulb.
bumpers.
Activity 6
Watch the video clip that has been assigned for your group. Based on the clip, prepare a slide show
on the do’s or the don’ts of conducting a meeting. Present your findings to your lecturer and friends.
1. Business Tips: How to Excel in a Business Meeting
2. How to Practice Proper Business Meeting Etiquette
3. How to conduct a meeting - Bad Practices
4. Good Manager Meeting 6a
5. I Had A Bad Meeting with My Sales Manager Today...
6. If Your Meetings are THIS Bad
7. Meeting from Hell!

WEEK 11 – 2nd Meeting
Roles in Meetings
i. Appropriate Language Expressions for Chairing a Meeting
The start of a meeting
1. To greet and start a meeting
•Good morning/ afternoon/ evening everyone.

•May I have your attention.
•Let's begin our meeting by reciting Al-Fatihah.
2. To thank and to appreciate
•I would like to thank all of you for attending this meeting.

•Thank you very much for coming to this meeting.
•I appreciate your presence here today.
3. To state the principal objective(s)
•We're here today to discuss on....

•Our main aim today is to...
•I've called this meeting in order to ...
4. To allocate roles (secretary/participants)
•En. Azizul has agreed to take the minutes.

•Miss Shanty, would you mind taking the minutes?
•Charlene has agreed to give us a report on ....
5. To give apologies for someone who is absence
•I'm afraid Professor Mohamad can't be with us today. He is in ...

•Unfortunately, Madam Rosnah will not be with us today because she is ....
•I have received apologies for absence from our senoir engineer, Mr Suresh who is in ...
6. To discuss and confirm minutes of the previous meeting
•Are there any matters from the minutes?

•Who would like to propose the minutes to be accepted?
•Will someone propose the minutes to be accepted?
7. To ask for a seconder
•Will someone second it?

•Any seconder?

The main part of a meeting
1. To discuss the items on the agenda
•Let’s discuss item ....

•Shall we discuss item...?
2. To mediate
•Can/ could we hear Pn. Rozana's views first?

•Can/ could we have Mr Kumar to speak first?
•Let’s hear the technical team's opinions first.
3. To seek opinions
•What do you think, Rosli?

•What is your opinion/view?
•Do you have any other views?
4. To interrupt
•Excuse me, that is a good point that you have made but we have to move on.
•I’m sorry, as time does not permit, we have to end our discussion here.
•That is an interesting idea. However, can you summarise your ideas in one or two minutes?
5. To direct the flow from one item on the agenda to the next
•The next item is ..............

•Let’s move on to the next item on the agenda.
6. To call for a vote
•Can I have a show of hands?

•Can we have a vote?
7. To raise matters under any other business (A.O.B)
•Does anyone have any other matters to raise?

•Would anyone like to raise any other issues/ business/ questions?
The end of a meeting
1. To summarise/close
•To sum up, I think we are all aware that ....
•In summary, the main points are....
•I would like to thank all of you for your interesting views of the discussion. The meeting
is now adjourned
2. To inform the date, time and venue of the next meeting (optional)
•The next meeting will be held on .....

•We will meet again on .....
ii. Appropriate Language Expressions for Participating in a Meeting
The start of a meeting
1. To accept the minutes
•Madam Chairperson, I do.

•Mr Chairman, I Mohamad Iskandar, propose the minutes to be accepted.
2. To second the acceptance of the minutes
•Mr Chairperson I Shirley Lim, second it.
The main part of a meeting
1. To express opinions (Degree of conviction)
•Strong
•Mr Chairman, I definitely/ certainly think that .....
•Mr Chairman, I’m very positive that...
•Mr Chairman, I really do think that ....
•Mr Chairman, I strongly believe that...
•Neutral
•Mr Chairman, I consider/ feel that...
•Mr Chairman, in my opinion ......
•Mr Chairman, as I see it ....
•Mr Chairman, from my point of view......
• Not very convinced
•I tend to think that...
•I’m inclined to think that .....
2. To suggest/propose
•Mr Chairman, I would like o suggest that .....

•Mr Chairman, how about ....
•Mr Chairman, let’s ....
3. To clarify
•Mr Chairman, could the treasurer repeat what he/ she has just said?
•Mr Chairman, I’m not sure what he/ she means
•Mr Chairman, could he/she tell us more about.....?
4. To present
•I will present our budget for the programme.

•Based on the itinerary, I'm going to explain the ....

5. To agree fully
•Mr Chairman, I certainly agree with Aizat

•Mr Chairman, I fully/ completely agree with him/ her
•Mr Chairman, I totally agree with him/ her
6. To agree
•Mr Chairman, that’s a good idea/ good point

•Mr Chairman, I can accept that.
•Mr Chairman, I agree with Suraya.
7. To agree partially
•Mr Chairman, Dr. Marina may be right, but ...

•Mr Chairman, to a certain extent I agree with him/ her, but .....
•Mr Chairman, that’s a good idea/ point but....
8. To disagree
•Mr Chairman, I beg to differ.

•Mr Chairman, I can’t agree with him/ her.
•Mr Chairman, (I’m afraid) I don’t agree.
•Mr Chairman, I can’t accept that.
•Mr Chairman, that’s not how I see it.
9. To interrupt
•Mr Chairman, can/ may I interrupt for a moment?

•Mr Chairman, one moment, please.
•Excuse me, Mr Chairman......
10. To correct misunderstanding
•Sorry, I think you misunderstood what I said.

•That's not what I meant.
•I'm afraid you don't understand what I'm saying.
11. To compare options/solutions
•Let's look at outsourcing versus automation.

•Let's look at outsourcing as against automation.
•Outsourcing is cheaper than hiring more staff.
•On the one hand, automation is expensive. On the other hand, it's more effective
compared to outsourcing.
•Automation is expensive, however it's more effective.
•Outsourcing is the cheapest but automating our system is the best option.
12. To volunteer
•Mr Chairman, I volunteer to do it.
•Madam Chairperson, I will be glad to do it.

Activity7: Language functions and expressions
Match the typical expressions by a chairperson in meetings (1-12) below to the appropriate
headings (a-f) as in the example.
a) Starting the meeting ____ ____
b) Moving to the next item ____ ____
c) Getting other people’s opinions ____ ____
d) Giving opinions ____ ____
e) Summarising ____ ____
f) Ending the meeting ____ ____

Activity 8: Language expressions for chairing a meeting
Go to the following link to watch a video on useful language expressions in a formal meeting.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_kZT8t75J4
Watch the video and list down useful phrases used by Denise, the chairperson, to start and conduct
the meeting.
• 1. Has everybody got a copy of the agenda?

To ask about agenda • 2.
• 3.
• 1. Would you mind taking minutes John?

To allocate roles
• 2.
To start the meeting • 1.
To thank • 1. First of all, thank you everyone for attending at a short

notice.
• 1. The objective of today's meeting is to discuss the

To state the proposal...
objective • 2.
• 3.
• 1. I'd like to open it up for discussion.

• 2.
To invite • 3.
discussion/mediate • 4.
• 5.
• 6.
• 1. To sum up,
To summarise • 2.
• 3.
• 1. We'll put it to a vote

To call for a vote • 2.
• 3.
Any other business • 1.
• 1. Then we'll close the meeting.

Closure
• 2.

Activity 9: Language expressions for participating in a meeting
Go to the following link to watch a video on useful language expressions in a formal meeting.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Vo_gHFs4is&feature=relmfu
Watch the video and list down the functions and useful phrases used by the participants in the
meeting.
To express disagreement
• 1. I'm afraid I'm not convinced.
• 2.
• 3.
• 4.
• 5.
To express opinions
• 1. In my opinion...
• 2.
• 3.
• 4.
• 5.
To seek clarification
• 1. Are you suggesting that someone could get hurt?
• 2.
• 3.
• 4.
To agree
• 1. I agree.
• 2.
• 3.
• 4.
• 5.
• 6.
• 7.
Here are a few more video clips to help you practise useful language expressions in meetings:
1. To discuss options
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CjCvXFV3KY&feature=relmfu
2. To report on progress
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0MLl0nnr8o&feature=relmfu
3. To describe graphs and trends
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0Mr-O9AGmw&feature=relmfu
4. To give presentations in a meeting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJOh8OUltrc&feature=relmfu
5. To wrap up
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lt5BVy5wY0U&feature=relmfu
Activity10: Expressing opinions, agreement and disagree ment, making
and requesting for suggestions
An important part of meetings and discussions is asking and giving opinions about the subject being
discussed in a number of ways. You may agree or disagree with the opinions or suggestions given by
the other members of the group during a discussion. Every other member of the group will also
express their agreement or disagreement and the discussion will gain momentum as each person
responds positively or negatively to the issue. Participants will also make and request for suggestions.
These expressions can be expressed in:
i. a strong way
ii. a neutral way
iii. tentatively (with some hesitation and reservation)
For each language expression, identify its function (expressing opinions, agreement, disagreement,
making or requesting suggestions) and the way it is expressed whether in a strong (S), neutral (N) or
tentative (T) way. The first three have been done for you.
No. Expression Function S/N/T

1. I completely agree. Agreement S
2. I agree with you. Agreement
3. I quite agree with you but I’m still not convinced... Agreement
4. You're absolutely right there. Agreement
5. That's out of the question. Disagreement
6. Ergh..I...think...the issue is... Expressing Opinion
7. Exactly. Agreement
8. My point of view is ....... Expressing Opinion
9. What's your opinion of.....? Requesting suggestion
10. That's ridiculous. Disagreement
11. I think you are wrong. Disagreement
12. Well, first I think...but then I..... Disagreement
13. I think we can....... Making Suggestion
14. Maybe what we can do is .......... Making Suggestion
15. Nelly, I'd like to hear your ideas on this. Requesting suggestion
16. I strongly suggest my idea to be accepted. Making Suggestion
17. Do you have any suggestions? Requesting suggestion
18. My recommendation is that we organise… Making Suggestion
19. Any suggestions? Requesting suggestion
20. I'm in agreement with you. Agreement
21. It may be a good idea to ........ Making Suggestion
22. Erm...what if...we...ermm...maybe we could... Making Suggestion

Activity 11: Meeting Terminology
During meetings, especially in formal settings, there are many specific terms used. Test your
knowledge on the meeting terminology by completing the crossword puzzle below. The first one has
been done for you.
Down:
1: committee official responsible for the internal and external administration of a committee
2: a system of secret voting in the written form
5: all being in favour
6: the name given to a ‘proposal’ when it is being discussed at a meeting
10: to close a meeting or hold a meeting over until a later date
11: participant or person attending a meeting
12: leader or person given authority to conduct a meeting
13: a submitted item for discussion (usually written) before a meeting takes place.
15: person not at the meeting, not present.
17: literally ‘on behalf of another person’ who cannot attend to cast a vote during a meeting.
Across
3: a type of General Meeting called for all members to discuss a very serious or specific issue affecting all
4: having the power to act upon taken decisions
7: a formal method of deciding something, especially by officially writing a mark on a paper or by raising
your hand or speaking in a meeting
8: a type of group decision making. It involves coming to a decision acceptable to all members of the
group without a vote being taken
9: the written record of what took place at a meeting
10: a schedule of items drawn up for discussion at a meeting
11: excuses given in advance for inability to attend a meeting
14: committee official responsible for its financial records and transactions
16: one who speaks against a motion
18: one who supports the ‘proposer’ of a motion or proposal by ‘seconding’ it
19: the minimum number of people who must be in attendance before a meeting is official.

3.2 MEETING DOCUMENTS
Informal discussions or meetings happen all the time particularly at the workplace environment.
However, there are instances when a more official, formal meeting is needed in an organisation.
When dealing with a formal meeting, there are specific procedures to be followed before, during and
after the meeting:
•Everyone concerned with the meeting should be informed earlier about the oncoming
meeting by sending out a Notice of Meeting. It can take the form of a letter, poster, memo
or email communication.
Before •It is a good practice to include an Agenda together with the Notice of Meeting. An Agenda
will let participants prepare for the meeting in advance.
•During the meeting, it is important to record all points raised and discussed by the
attendees. The record of flow of the meeting is called Minutes and they should show
what was discussed, more specifically what was agreed or ruled out, and any action
points - a note of something that has to be carried out, by whom, and usually with a
During deadline.
•After the meeting, meeting minutes need to be promptly produced and distributed to
the all the attendees and absentees to ensure ideas discussed during a meeting will be
disseminated and put into actions.
After
NOTICE OF MEETING
A notice of meeting can only be issued by the person authorised to call for the meeting, usually the
chairperson, although the notice itself is sent out to all members by the secretary. Notification of the
meeting should be sent well in advance of a meeting date (ideally at least 7-21 days) so that members
can keep the date and time free, and can prepare for the meeting.
Notice of Meeting can take a form of poster or letter. However, nowadays, notice of meeting is mainly
sent electronically via email or memo or by using social media such as Facebook or WhatsApp.
A notice should include the following details:
The name of organisation and the type of meeting being held e.g.: AGM,
Notice Committee Meeting, Operation Meeting etc.
The date, time and venue of the meeting.
of If the notice is produced in a form of print letter or poster, it must be
Meeting signed, and the sender's official position in the group will be indicated.
The date when the notice was issued.
Three • Notice of Meeting

• Notice Requesting Agenda Items
Types of Notice • Notice Including Agenda

Type 1 –Notice of Meeting via Email
Name of Organisation
From: Secretary
To: Meeting participants
Carbon copy: Chairperson
Subject line states name,

date and time of meeting
Details of Meeting: venue,

time, day, date and purpose
Type 2 –Notice Requesting Agenda Items via Email

Rather than sending just the Notice of Meeting, it is also useful to include a preliminary agenda well
in advanced and call for feedback and any additional items from the participants.
From: Secretary
To: Meeting participants
Carbon copy: Chairperson
Subject line states name,

date and time of meeting
Details of Meeting: venue,

time, day, and date.
Review old business
Special Business: new

items already included in
the agenda
A request and deadline

for submitting extra
items

Type 3 - Notice Including Agenda via Memo
If the agenda of a meeting is already determined by the chairman, it is useful to combine the notice
and the agenda together in one document. The first portion at the top is the notice that gives details
of the meeting. The second part is the agenda which is actually a list of topics to be discussed at the
meeting.
Company’s name
JB ENGINEERING & SERVICES SDN BHD
Interoffice Memorandum
To: Operations Engineers

From: Fatihah Ahmad, Administration Officer (Secretary)
Title of meeting Subject: Monthly Operations Meeting
Date: 4thSeptember, 2015
CC: Dato Ir. Ridzuan Tahir (Chairman)
Notice section: state The next monthly Operations Meeting will be held in the Discussion
venue, time and date Room 3 at 10 a.m. on Monday, 11th Sept 2015.
The word
“AGENDA” AGENDA:
1. Apologies for absence
2. Minutes of the last meeting
Opening Ordinary
3. Matters arising:
Business
3.1 New product brochure (Tan Ai Ling)
3.2 Market survey of the new water heating product (Kamal Ali)
Special Business 4. Malaysia Product Excellence Competition 2013 (Anis Ahmad)
(note full names in
brackets) 5. Budget for product development (Kamala Devi)
6. Any other business
Final Ordinary
Business 7. Date of next meeting

AGENDA
Creating an effective agenda is one of the most important aspects in running an effective meeting.
Why is it necessary?
A roadmap to enable members to come
prepared, ensure the meeting achieves its
purpose, and avoid wasting time on irrelevant
matters.
What is it? Who prepares it?
A list of items to be discussed at The secretary who compiles the
a meeting in a set order. agenda, in liaison with Chairperson
Agenda?
A well-compiled agenda will help focus the direction of a meeting and ensure all necessary discussion
points are covered within the allotted time period. It serves as a tool for organisation, preparation,
time management, and continuity of a meeting. When the attendees have an agenda in advance, they
are able to contribute more to the meeting. The agenda should then include a discussion of new
projects and a list of status checks for work in progress. The agenda is normally prepared before the
meeting by the secretary with the direction from the Chairperson.
To create an effective agenda, a secretary may need to consider the points discussed below:
1.
Determine • Determine how formal the meeting is going to be
the • An informal agenda is generally used for short department meetings; a formal
meeting agenda is used for board of directors meetings.
formality
2. • Send an e-mail or a memo to the invitees to announce the meeting and states
Announce the goals of the meeting.
the • Ask the invitees to confirm their attendance. This will give you a clear idea of
meeting whom to list as meeting attendees.
• You need to know who will be presenting each topic at the meeting and how
3. long each presenter will need.
Determine
agenda • Ask invitees requesting an agenda item to contact you no later than two days
items before the meeting with their request and the amount of time they will need to
present it.
• The first item on the agenda is the title of the meeting.

4. • Giving the meeting a title helps clarify the focus and the range of topics to be
Title the discussed.
meeting • It will also help attendees to identify and distinguish your meeting from other
meetings they will attend.

5. • Include the exact time, date, and location of the meeting, as well as both the
List the starting and ending times of the meeting.
time and • Plan to stay within those parameters stated on the agenda. Do not exceed the
location time.
6. • List the name of every attendee. Indicate who the meeting leader is to give
idea of what and whom to expect at the meeting.
List the • Formal agendas should include full name and the position of each attendee.
attendees • If the meeting is less formal, use first names only.
7. • Include an objective statement after the list of attendees.

• The objective should include the problems you wish to address and possible
Include the solutions to those problems.
meeting • If an agenda item does not address the meeting’s objective, it should not be
objective included on the agenda.
8. • Make sure that all invitees receive a copy of the agenda a day or two before
the meeting as a reminder to them about the meeting, time, location, and
Send the duration.
agenda to • Find out if the presenters are happy with the order in which they will be
invitees speaking and the amount of time they have been allocated.
9. • Bring enough copies of the agenda to the meeting to ensure that everyone has a
Bring copy to follow.
copies to • Print copies also provide attendees with a place to take notes throughout the
meeting meeting.
• the most important part of creating an effective agenda is to follow it during

the meeting.
10.
• The agenda limits discussion to relevant topics because issues that do not
Follow the pertain to the agenda items should not come up.
agenda • Following the agenda ensures that the meeting stays on track and focused, and
it ensures that the meeting ends on time.

i. Structure of an Agenda
A traditional structure of the body of an agenda has three different sections:
1. Opening Ordinary Business

i. Chairperson’s Address
A welcoming speech by the Chairperson to greet attending members. The Chairperson then
calls the meeting to order to start the meeting. In a contemporary format, this section is
excluded from the list of items in the agenda.
ii. Apologies for absence
The Chairperson announces the 'apologies' of any member who is unable to attend. The
secretary will have been informed in advance by the individual members.
iii. Minutes of the last meeting
To be read and approved – the Chairperson asks members, who will have received the copy
of the minutes beforehand, whether they represent a true record of the events of the last
meeting. Corrections to facts and language in the previous minutes are made with the
consent of the rest of the attendees.
iv. Matters arising
If a particular item has been pursued since the last meeting, there may be something to
report. Often this sort of matter may be deferred until later in the meeting.
v. Correspondence (optional)
(If any) correspondence received which relates to the meeting.
vi. Presentation of accounts (optional)
(If any) for adoption or approval.
2. Special Business
This section represents the actual reason(s) for which the meeting is called. Items of Special
Business must be clearly stated in the Agenda and they are discussed in the sequence in which
they are written in the Agenda.
Items may involve:
a. problems which require discussion to arrive at a solution before a final resolution is
expressed.
b. issues which require input from the members before a final resolution is expressed.
A flow chart showing the process of a Motion from the Proposal to the Resolution stage:
PROPOSING SECONDING the
DISCUSSION or VOTING
the motion for motion for RESOLUTION
DEBATE if necessary
discussion discussion
3. Final Ordinary Business

i. Any other business
This allows items to be introduced which members may feel have not been given
enough attention, or have been overlooked.
ii. Date of next meeting
It is the chairperson's duty, in consultation with the other members, to decide upon the
date of the next meeting. The meeting is then formally closed and the finishing time
is recorded by the secretary.

Sample 1 – A Simple Agenda
Global Earth Resources Inc.
Marketing Strategy Team Meeting

Time : 8.30-11a.m.
List of time, date,
Date : 11th Aug 2015
and venue
Venue : Discussion Room
The word AGENDA
“AGENDA”
1. Apologies for absence
Opening Ordinary 2. Minutes of the last meeting
Business
3. Matters arising:
3.1 Promotion calendar (Khairul)
Special Business 4. Purchase of landfills(Fahmi Ibrahim)
Final Ordinary 5. Any other business
Business 6. Date of next meeting
Sample 2 – A Comprehensive Agenda Template
Meeting Title
Logistics
Time: 10.00 a.m.
Date: 17 Aug. 2015
Attendees: Tan Ai Ling, Kamal Ali, Anis Ahmad, Kamala Devi, Norliza
Samad, Abdullah Osman
Please Bring/Read: Minutes of the last meeting
Meeting purpose Malaysia Product Excellence Competition 2015 and budget for
product development
Agenda
No. Agenda Item Presenter Time
1 Chairman 2 min
Opening Remarks and apologies for absence
2 Minutes of the last meeting Secretary 2 min

3 Matters Arising
New product brochure Tan Ai Ling 5 min
Market survey of the new water heating product Kamal Ali 10 min
4 Malaysia Product Excellence Competition 2015 Anis Ahmad 15 min
5 Budget for product development Kamala Devi 20 min
6 Any other Business 5 min
7 Date of next meeting 1 min

Activity 1: Writing Notice and Agenda of Meeting (Pair/Group work)
1. The company you are working at is going international and hiring more foreign workers.
However, there is a problem with the English language proficiency among the staff especially
at the middle and lower management levels. You are the chairperson of the Staff Development
Committee and your committee has been asked by the Board of Directors to propose plans to
overcome the problem. Write an email form of notice including agenda based on this
situation (You should include details like the time, date, and venue of the meeting).
2. You are the Senior Manager for a company. You are worried on the attitude of some workers
namely young engineers in your company. You would also like to listen to opinions from the
departmental managers and senior engineers on issues related to attendance, chatting, overuse
of lunch hour, latecomers for meetings and developments from all departments. Write a
memo form of notice including agenda based on this situation.
3. You are an Assistant Personnel Manager in your organisation. Two senior members of the
staff are going to retire soon. You wish to organise a special dinner to commemorate the event.
Your agenda could be forming a committee, delegating work, selecting a venue, choosing a
caterer, date and time. Write an email form of notice including agenda based on this
situation.
4. You are the Executive Director in an organisation which recently received the ISO award. The
Minister of Human Resources is coming to present the award. You need to organise a
committee for the preparations and procedures involved in organizing the event and how you
can ensure that everything runs smoothly. Write a memo form of notice including agenda
based on this situation.

WEEK 12 – 2ndMeeting
MINUTES OF MEETING
Minutes of Meeting or Meeting Minutes are the official record of what happens at a meeting. They
account for the information shared in discussions and the progress on any action items. Minutes serve
as an information source; people can easily be brought up to date simply by reading them. In addition,
minutes serve to establish a method of accountability because they keep track of who is doing what
and how projects are going.
Accurate minutes give a detailed account of the following information:
Minutes of Meeting
1. The meeting date, location, and starting and ending times
2. The names of the chairperson and the minute-taker
3. The names of all attendees and absentees

4. An accurate summary of the discussions
5. A record of decisions/resolutions made

6. A thorough account of any action items, who is responsible
for each action and when each action is to be completed
i. Types of Minutes
There are three different types or styles of minutes:
i. Verbatim minutes - used primarily in court reporting, where everything needs to be recorder
word for word.
ii. Minutes of resolution - only the main conclusions that are reached are recorded, not a note of
the discussions that took place. These are usually used for minutes of Annual General Meetings
and other statutory meetings. However, many companies have also adopted this type of minutes
for their day-to day meetings simply because of its conciseness and the time-saving factor.
For example:
PURCHASE OF PLASTIC PRINTING MACHINE
The secretary submitted a report from the Operation Manager containing full details of the trial of the 2011 ASY-C
series multicolour Rotogravure Plastic Printing Machine.
IT WAS RESOLVED that the 2011 ASY-C series multicolour Rotogravure be purchased at a cost of RM45,600.
iii. Minutes of narration - They are a summary of all the discussions that took place, reports
received, decisions made and action to be taken.
PURCHASE OF PLASTIC PRINTING MACHINE
The secretary submitted a report from the Operation Manager containing full details of the trial of the 2011 ASY-C
series multicolour Rotogravure Plastic Printing Machine. The machine had been used for a period of four weeks in the
Printing Room. Its many benefits were pointed out including easy of operation, fast printing, and stability. After
discussion that such a machine would be extremely valuable to the company.
The secretary was asked to make the necessary arrangements for the printing machine to be purchased at the quoted
price of RM45,600.

Minutes should be accessible so that readers can easily understand the information. Effective
headings and a concise but thorough writing style will increase accessibility.
Here are some suggestions:
 Title the minutes

Example: MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE COMMUNITY SERVICE COMMITTEE
HELD IN THE CHAIRMAN’S OFFICE ON TUESDAY 21 OCTOBER 2014 AT 4.30 P.M.
 List the attendees (in the alphabetical order except for Chairman) under a heading:
PRESENT: Ramesh Kumar (Chairman)
Rubiah Shamsuddin (Malay names is alphabetised under first name)
George Thomas (Western names is alphabetised under last/surname name)
Sarah Wong (Secretary) (Chinese name is alphabetised under Family name)
Zainal Abidin Harun
 Use a new heading for each item on the agenda and subdivide each heading into two
categories: (1) discussions and (2) action items
Example of the Special Business items reported in Minutes of Resolution:
4. RUMAH ANAK YATIM DARUL IMAN COMMUNITY SERVICE

Miss Rubiah presented the tentative programme for the next company’s Community
Service at Rumah Anak Yatim Darul Iman, Kuala Terengganu.
All members agreed with their assigned tasks.
5. BUDGET ALLOCATION
Mr Thomas reported that a budget cut for all our programmes this year due to the
opening of a new branch in Machang. However, with careful expenditure, we can still
organise at least two more community service programmes this year.
The Committee agreed that amendment must be made to the itinerary to suit the reduced
budget. Miss Rubiah was asked to prepare the new itinerary for the programme.
6. NATIONAL BLOOD DONATION WEEK CAMPAIGN

En.Zainal announced that 10 of the company staff will represent the company and to
donate blood at the campaign opening ceremony in Kuala Lumpur. Mr Chairman
suggested that the company should hold its own Blood Donation Day to encourage all
workers to take part.
En.Zainal and Miss Wong were assigned to organise the company’s Blood Donation
Day.

Sample of Minutes of Resolution (Complete Version)
Company’s name AURORA HOLDINGS

and Committee
WELFARE COMMITTEE
Heading of MINUTES OF THE 4th MEETING OF THE WELFARE COMMITTEE

Minutes HELD IN THE CHAIRMAN’S OFFICE ON TUESDAY 25 AUGUST
2015 AT 4.00 P.M.
PRESENT: Eileen Taylor (Chairman)

Jim Cage
Attendees (in Robert Fish
alphabetical order Ellen McBain
– Chairman first) Wendy Sheppard
Georgia Thomas
Will Thomas
1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies were received from Anthony Long who was attending a
business conference.
Opening Ordinary
Business 2. MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
The minutes had already been circulated and the Chairman signed
them as a correct record.
3. MATTERS ARISING
Will Thomas reported that he and Georgia had visited Reneé
Simpson in hospital on 16 August to deliver the committee’s basket
of flowers and good wishes for a speedy recovery. Reneé said she
hoped to return to work on Tuesday 1 September and would be able
to attend the next committee meeting.
4. STAFF RESTAURANT
Mr Cage distributed copies of the accounts for the half year ending
31 July. He pointed out that a profit of £1,300 was made over the first
six months of the year. He suggested that some of this be used to buy
Special Business
a new coffee machine as the present one was old and unreliable.
It was agreed that he would obtain some estimates and discuss this
further at the next meeting.
5. WASHROOM FACILITIES
Mdm chairperson announced that several complaints had been
Decisions made received about the female toilets on the second floor. Several locks
and Actions to be were reported to be faulty, plus chipped tiles and poor decoration.
taken
Miss McBain volunteered to arrange for some local workmen to
provide an estimate on the cost of repairs and to report back at the
next meeting.

6. STUDY LEAVE FOR YOUNG TRAINEES

Special Business Mr Fish reported that examinations would be held in December for
the company’s trainees who presently attend evening courses at Cliff
College. He suggested that they should be allowed two weeks study
leave prior to their examination.
Mdm Chairperson pointed out that it was not within the committee’s
power to make this decision. She advised Mr Fish to write formally to
Decision made the Board of Directors asking them to include this item on the agenda
and Action to be of the November Board Meeting. An answer should be obtained
taken before the next meeting.
7. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

Final Ordinary There was no other business.
Business
8. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
It was agreed that the next meeting would be held on Wednesday, 23
September, 2015 at 8 p.m.
The meeting was adjourned at 5.30 p.m.
Chairman’s
signature,
ETaylor
Name, and Date Eileen Taylor
(27 August 2015)
(Source: Model Business Letters, Emails and Other Business Documents, 2012)
REMINDER!
Record date, time and place of meeting.
M List of all members present, officials first,

followed by an alphabetical list of members.
I
List of apologies for absence, with reasons if this
N is normal practice for the organisation.
U
Summarise the main facts and arguments.
T
Never record opinion or write notes from a
E personal point of view: an objective record is
required.
S Lastly, there are many different formats of
writing meeting minutes. The choice depends
very much on the corporate culture of one's
organisation.

Activity 2: Reading Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the following questions.
SKILLS REQUIRED FOR TAKING MINUTES

 Being good at taking notes
You should have your own prepared system for taking quick notes and it should
include a set of abbreviations. Remember you don’t need to write perfect English
in the meeting. Prepare your abbreviations in advance of the meeting.
 Good mastery of English

This is very important so that people can understand your minutes and to reflect
a good image of you, your department and organisation.
 Good vocabulary
You’ll need a good general vocabulary and an understanding of the technical
terms, jargon and abbreviations that may be used in the meeting. Get yourself
informed before the meeting so you’ll understand what’s being said. Use a
thesaurus to vary the words you use.
 Word processing skills

A set of well-presented minutes reflects well on you. If you are regularly minuting
the same type of meeting then use a template. You can then use a laptop and type
your notes straight onto your template – but remember you are not writing your
minutes in the meeting, you are just taking notes.
 Listening skills
Always the first skill that people think of as the most difficult but with a lot of
practice, it will become easier.
 Summarising skills
This is after the meeting, you need to write a summary based on the notes you
have taken.
 Proofreading skills
It’s important to check your minutes after they have been typed.
 Knowledge of how to use reported speech

You may occasionally have to report what people say in minutes and, if so,
reported speech should be used. However, by using excellent summarising skills
you can avoid the ‘he said, she said’ scenarios.
 Know what to record

A sense of what you should and shouldn’t record is a skill that takes time to
develop. It helps to understand your readership and the use of the minutes after
they have been written.

Based on the reading passage above, answer all the questions below.
1. Why is the use of abbreviations important in note taking?
_________________________________________________________________________
2. How can you improve your range of vocabulary when writing meeting minutes?
_________________________________________________________________________
3. In your opinion, what is the most important skill a minute taker should have and why?
_________________________________________________________________________
4. For each skill of a minute taker, rate your own abilityfrom havinga very poor command to
having an excellent command of the skill.
Skills Very poor Poor Moderate Good Excellent

a. Note taking
b. English mastery
c. Good vocabulary
d. Word processing
e. Summarising
f. Listening
g. Proofreading
h. Reported speech
i. Know what to record
5. If you think you have poor ability in any of the skills, discuss with your friends on how to
improve those skills.
6. Make a list of abbreviations that you usually use when taking notes. Share with the class.

In Summary:
ALWAYS WRITE MINUTES
REMEMBER!!
ii. Language Skills Required for the Writing of Minutes
1. Pay careful attention 1. Change direct speech

to specific information to reported speech.
such as names,
statistics and dates.
2. Active voice is more
2. Use short forms
Note-taking
preferable than passive

Grammar Skills
(option: Use an audio- voice.

recording device as
well for back-up.)
3. Summarise and
Paraphrase (shortening
sentences, rearranging
ideas, and changing
sentence structure.)

Reported speech records the words spoken in meetings. Try to avoid directly quoting in the
minutes. When changing direct speech to reported speech, you usually have to change the
following:
1. The tenses
simple present simple past
Everyone in the company is happy with Everyone in the company was happy
the new management team. with the new management team.
simple past past perfect
Flexitime, a system of working flexible Flexitime, a system of working flexible
hours, was introduced in the company hours, had been introduced in the
two years ago. company two years before.
simple future - will would
Accepting the project will put constraints Accepting the project would put
on manpower. constraints on manpower.
present perfect past perfect
The company has spent a lot of money The company had spent a lot of money
promoting the new line of products. promoting the new line of products.
present continuous past continuous
We are developing a new product for the The team was developing a new
international market. product for the international market.
2. The pronouns 3. Time frame
I — he/she ours — theirs this week — the previous week

my — his/her us — them next week — the following week
mine — his/hers this — that today — that day
we — they these — those yesterday — the day before
our — their tomorrow — the next day
ago — before
4. Useful reporting verb
suggested – Miss Aileen suggested the committee to invite a speaker from the industry.
promised – En. Mohamad promised to contact the supplier.
discussed – Four options were discussed.
decided – It was decided to organise the family day in June.
agreed – Everyone agreed on the proposed itinerary.
broughtup – The issue of misconduct among staff was brought up.
mentioned – MrRaju mentioned about the poor condition of the printing room and …
reported – The senior engineer reported on the result of R&D of a new machine.
asked – The Chairman asked the treasurer to prepare a new budget for the programme.
wondered – Madam Zureen wondered if there would be extra funding.
recommended – Two senior staff were recommended to be promoted.
explained – Surinder explained the possibility of delay in submitting the tender.
emphasised – The marketing team emphasised the need of promotion to increase sales.
stressed – Rizal stressed the importance of hiring an experienced marketing executive.
complained – The customer complained about the defect product.
Useful links: http://www.learnenglish.de/grammar/reportedspeech.htm

http://www.really-learn-english.com/reported-speech.html#07

Activity 3: Changing direct speech to reported speech
Change the following dialogues into reported speech in minutes.

Example:
The objective of the company is to improve productivity

without extra investment in equipment.
Managing Director
The Managing Director stated that the objective of the company was to improve productivity without extra
investment in equipment.
1. I’ll see the resort manager tomorrow to find Don’t forget to get
out the facilities available for the seminar. the quotation too.
Miss Vanessa Chairperson
______________________________________________________________________________
2. The consultants finished auditing our

department yesterday.
Mr Yeoh Mr Yeoh
______________________________________________________________________________
3.
Alright, I’ll form an ad hoc committee and will Pn. Suria
come up with suggestion for fund-raising.
______________________________________________________________________________
4. Our new factory should be located in Iskandar Malaysia Industrial

Park as it has a direct sea link toPort of Tanjung Pelepas, Johor.
Julie
______________________________________________________________________________
5. The new shipment arrived today and is ready for processing.

Mr Kumar
____________________________________________________________________________

Activity 4: Summarising (Individual work)

(Source: Intelligent Business, 2006)
Task 1: Listen to the managing director of a department store talking to a consultant. Take notes
under the following headings.
1. Market share: _______________________________________________________
2. Pricing policy: _______________________________________________________
3. Customer survey results:
____________________________________________________________________
4. Options:
_____________________________________________________________________
5. Consultant’s advice:
_____________________________________________________________________
Task 2: Summarise what the speaker has said. Answer the questions below using reported speech
and the reporting verbs in brackets.
1. What did the managing director say to the consultant concerning market share? (tell)
_____________________________________________________________________
2. What did she say about their pricing policy? (admit)
_____________________________________________________________________
3. Which results of the customer survey did she highlight? (point out)
_____________________________________________________________________
4. How did the consultant react? (ask)
_____________________________________________________________________
5. How did she answer him? (explain)
_____________________________________________________________________
6. What did the consultant tell her to do? (advise)
____________________________________________________________________.
Task 3: If you were the managing director, would you take the consultant’s advice? Why / Why
not?
Task 4: Record key information
Listen to two short extracts from meetings. Write a minute to summarise each of the points
discussed. Only record the key information.
Point 1: Petra reports
________________________________________________________________________
Point 2: Rosa reports
________________________________________________________________________
Task 5: Record decisions and actions
Listen to two more extracts from meetings and write a minute to summarise the result of the
discussions. Only record the decision made and /or the action point.
Point 3: What was agreed?
________________________________________________________________________
Point 4: Who should do what?
________________________________________________________________________

Activity 5: Writing meeting documents (Pair work)
Below is the script of the third executive committee meeting of the Royal Pekan Archery Club. Based
on the script, prepare the notice including agenda (email format) and minutes of resolution. Please
provide details like day, date, time, and venue of the meeting.
Chairman : I am glad to welcome all members to the third executive committee meeting of the
Royal Pekan Archery Club. Thank you, thank you for coming. Can we call this
meeting to order?
All : Yes.
Chairman : Are there any apologies for absence for today's meeting?
Secretary : Yes, Mr Maniam is away at a meeting while Ms Suliza is on medical leave.
Chairman : Thank you, Mrs Fauziah. Can we now proceed to the next item, minutes of the
previous meeting?
All : Yes.
Chairman : Please read through the minutes of the last meeting which were distributed earlier.
Chairman : Are there any amendments?
Treasurer : Yes, Mr Chairman. There is a correction to Item No. 5. There will be 22

participants who are going to take part in the Junior Archery Competition next
month and not 20.
Secretary : Thank you, Mr Chong. I'll make the necessary correction.
Chairman : Are there any other amendments?
All : No.
Chairman : Thank you. Can someone propose the minutes to be accepted?
Miss Erma : I propose the minutes to be accepted.
Mr Hazim : I second the motion.
Chairman : Let's move on. Any matters arising'?
Mr Arjun : Yes, Mr Chairman. I would like to inform that I've managed to get another
sponsor. Giant Supermarket has agreed to sponsor our prizes for the Junior
Archery Competition next month.
Chairman : Thank you, Mr Arjun. Anything else to add?
All : No.
Chairman : If there is nothing else, let’s discuss the first item under Special Business today
that concerns the management of our club café. There have been many complaints
about the food, the service, and the cleanliness. Any suggestions?

Mrs Diba : I suggest that we write a warning letter to En. Tahir, the café operator. He should
really buck up.
Mr Arjun : I don't agree. We've already sent him two letters. What has he done to improve the
café?
Miss Sakinah : I agree with you. I think he is not interested anymore. I propose that we replace
him with a new café operator.
Secretary : Exactly. After all, En. Tahir's contract will expire in 2 weeks. Why should we
renew his contract?
Treasurer : Yes, we've given him enough chances. I propose that we ask for tenders from
other interested parties who might want to operate the café.
Miss Erma : I second the motion.
Chairman : Shall we put this matter to a vote? All those in favour of replacing the café
operator, please raise your hands. Oh, it's majority. So, it's resolved that we
replace the café operator. Can the secretary place an advertisement in the NST and
The Star asking for new tenders? Also, please write a letter to En. Tahir informing
him that his contract will not be renewed.
Secretary : All right. I'll get that done by Friday.
Chairman : That's fine. Thank you. Glad we managed to settle that matter fast. Let's go on to
the second item under Special Business — improving the Reading Room which is
very popular especially among our senior members.
Treasurer : Well, we have RM10,000 in our development fund. We can use some of it for our
Reading Room.
Chairman : Any suggestions?
Mr Hazim : Well, we definitely need a new TV set. Our present one has only a l6-inch screen
and it was a 1995 model.
Mr Arjun : I've heard some very sarcastic comments about that set.
Chairman : It looks like everyone is in favour of purchasing a new TV set. Are we all agreed
on this matter?
All : Yes.
Chairman : Okay. It's resolved that we buy a new TV set.
Treasurer : Mr Chairman, I suggest we set a ceiling of RM3000 for the purchase of the new
TV set.
Miss Sakinah : Yes, yes. I think that's reasonable. Can I volunteer to look into this?
Chairman : Yes, thank you Miss Sakinah. Can you work with Mr Kong, the PIC of the
Reading Room?
Miss Sakinah : Fine. I'll do that.
Chairman : Okay, now let's move on to any other business. Anyone?
Mrs Diba : Yes, Mr Chairman. The parking system for our club is really in a mess.
Chairman : I don't quite follow you. What exactly do you mean?
Mrs Diba : Well, some of our members can be inconsiderate. They double park or block other
cars without a thought

Mr Arjun : Yes! Maybe we should include a reminder in our next newsletter. Members must
park in allocated spaces only. They really should show some consideration for
others.
Chairman : Okay Mr Arjun, as the Editor of the newsletter, could you please put in a column
on this?
Mr Arjun : Yes, sure.
Chairman : Thank you. Our next item is date, time and venue for the next meeting.
Secretary : Mr Chairman, since there are many activities to be completed before that, can I
send a notice about the next meeting to the members later?
All : Yes, sure.
Chairman : That's that then. Anything else? Any questions? Comments? No? Well then, thank
you for corning. The meeting is adjourned.
(Adapted from: A Practical Guide to Business Meetings, 2006)
Sample Answers
Notice including Agenda (Email Format)
To :
From:
Cc:
Subject:
___________________________________________________________________________

Minutes of Resolution
The Royal Pekan Archery Club

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Activity 6: Problem-solving meeting
Listen to an excerpt from a meeting where the members decide on an action plan for one of
the potential problem areas in planning a summer party for their employees and important
clients. Then answer the following questions:
1. The chairperson begins by …

A. identifying points in the action plan
B. summing up potential problems
2. This action plan considers potential

A. security crisis
B. medical emergencies and accidents
3. The weather forecast predicts that the temperature will be

A. changeable
B. high
4. They are worried about the weather because the party

A. will be held outside
B. doesn’t have much shade
5. If food is left out in the heat too long it could

A. cause food poisoning
B. keep people hydrated
6. The staff on call for minor accidents will

A. have a list of emergency numbers
B. wear special T-shirts
7. It is necessary to arrange a rota of pool assistants because the hotel

A. only has four lifeguards
B. will not supply lifeguards
8. Who is appointed team coordinator?

A. Ellen
B. Adi

Activity7:Hold a problem-solving meeting(Role Play)
Step 1: Preparation
i. In a group of five, prepare a crisis situation for another group to discuss in a 20-minute
meeting. Imagine that a problem has occurred at a workplace. Write a short description
giving details about what has happened. Give the notes to another group.
ii. Take the crisis situation that the other group has prepared for your group. Ask one of your
group members to read out the situation.
iii. Decide on the appropriate action plan to solve the problem and create an agenda for the
meeting.
iv. Delegate tasks so that everyone will have the chance to speak in the meeting.
v. You can use the Agenda Template below to help you assign tasks and provide supporting
details for the discussion.
Example:
Agenda item: Decide what combination of print/radio/newspaper advertising will
be used to improve company’s image
Lead Mr Razali Basir
Supporting Advertising budget
information Advertising rates for three print publications
Rates for two radio stations
Rates for four newspapers
Preparation Sanisah from accounting to review and approve budget prior to meeting
Marketing group to review media rates and determine their preferred
combination
Desired outcome Finalise advertising schedule (during meeting)
Gain budgetary approval (next day)
Time allocated 10 minutes
Follow-up tasks Sanisah to approve media budget the day after meeting
Other tasks to be determined during meeting
Step 2: Meeting Role Play
i. Hold a problem-solving meeting to deal with the situation. All members of the group should
look for solutions and make suggestions.
ii. Use appropriate language expressions to chair and participate in a meeting especially when
making suggestion, giving opinions, agreeing and disagreeing, and asking for clarification.
iii. By the end of the meeting, your group should be able to resolve problems and make
decisions.
References
Baker, H. (2010). Successful minute taking - Meeting the challenge. Lancashire, UK: Universe of
Learning Ltd.
Effective meeting.com (2004).Writing the script. Retrieved from:

http://www.effectivemeetings.com/meetingplanning/agenda/script.asp
Johnson, C., & Barrall, I. (2006). Intelligent business skills book: Upper intermediate business
English. Essex, England: Pearson Education Limited.
Kalpana Sinha, Noreha Taib, Bhajan Kaur, Sewa Singh, & Rajendra Sivanantham. (2006). A
practical guide to business meetings. Selangor, Malaysia: McGraw-Hill (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd.
Kane (2010) Welcome to “Effective Meeting Skills”. Retrieved from:

kanemabears.wikispaces.com/file/view/Effective+meeting+skills.ppt
Nikitina, A. (n.d.)What is Nonverbal Communication? Retrieved from:

http://www.arinanikitina.com/what-is-non-verbal-communication.html)
Nolan, M.(n.d.).How to call a meeting to order with nonverbal communication. Retrieved from
http://www.ehow.com/how_8171609_call-meeting-order-nonverbal-communication.html
Pile, L. (2006). Intelligent business workbook: Upper intermediate business English. Essex,
England: Pearson Education Limited.
Ross, T. (2012).How to run an effective meeting using nonverbal communication. Retrieved from
http://www.ehow.com/how_6849529_run-meeting-using-nonverbal-communication.html
Taylor, S. (2012). Model business letters, emails and other business documents (7thed.). Harlow,
U.K.: Pearson Education Ltd.
Trappe, T., &Tullis, G. (2006). Intelligent business coursebook: Upper intermediate business
English. Essex, England: Pearson Education Limited.
Videoconferencing. (2012). Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Videoconferencing

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UHL 2432 ENGLISH FOR PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION

Universiti Malaysia PAHANG UNIT 3 Group Communication Skills

STUDENT MODULE Semester 1 2015/2016 MR/FA 0

3 GROUP COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Week 13: 2nd Meeting

Role-play of meeting presentation

By the end of this unit, students will be able to:

STUDENT MODULE Semester 1 2015/2016 MR/FA 1

3.1 MEETING SKILLS

Find a short hidden message in the list of words below.

gel flu iceberg band elephant

fly bamboo ride employer elf fee nose

crab hazelnut isolation rev escape

moon lane empty let iron sun gift

_______________ _______________ _______________ _______________

Introduction to Effective Meeting Skills

STUDENT MODULE Semester 1 2015/2016 MR/FA 2

How would you have responded differently? Why?

STUDENT MODULE Semester 1 2015/2016 MR/FA 3

A gathering of two or more persons in order to discuss a matter, share ideas or

It may vary in term of type, purpose, scope, style sand size.

It can range from huge formal conferences involving large numbers of

Whatever the size of the meeting, it is a means of making decisions,

It is a forum where participants are able to make suggestions, air opinions or

Meetings may occur face-to-face or virtually:

allows for more personal interaction as the meeting facilitator

may be conducted in a form of formal or informal meeting

STUDENT MODULE Semester 1 2015/2016 MR/FA 4

ii. Virtual Communication

meetings are mediated by communications technology,

will cut down cost as long distance travelling can be

may be conducted in a form of formal or informal

(Source: Video conferencing)

STUDENT MODULE Semester 1 2015/2016 MR/FA 5

Decide whether the following statements are True ( T ) or False ( F ).

tone of the speaker during the discussion. ( )

experiences and reach an agreement. ( )

5) Written records of formal meetings should never be kept. ( )

and shareholders meetings are examples of formal meetings. ( )

out their criticisms. ( )

8) Formal meetings are restricted by formal rules. ( )

10) Virtual meetings can be formal or informal. ( )

STUDENT MODULE Semester 1 2015/2016 MR/FA 6

The purpose of meetings can be grouped into two:

Meetings will only be effective when:

the possible existence

Aims and Purposes of Meetings

1) An exchange of current information. The purpose can be:

STUDENT MODULE Semester 1 2015/2016 MR/FA 7

STUDENT MODULE Semester 1 2015/2016 MR/FA 8

i. Informational meetings (sharing information)

ii. Decision-making meetings

a) Problem solving meetings

(Adapted from: Effective Meeting Skills)

How to conduct an effective meeting

1. Prepare for the Meeting

2. Identify the place of the meeting

• List participants and guests.

3. Prepare To Attend a Meeting (for all participants)

4. Set Up the Meeting Place

STUDENT MODULE Semester 1 2015/2016 MR/FA 10

5. Assign a Note Taker (minutes)

6. Start the Meeting

7. Conduct the Meeting

_______ _ _ _______