CHECKLIST FOR THE CHAIRPERSON
by
Nathan Garber
John Kenneth Galbraith wrote:
“Meetings are indispensable when you don't want to do anything.”
Unfortunately, in many cases, he is right. To make meetings creative and
useful, a good chairperson is essential. The chair can make the
difference between a successful, productive, stimulating meeting and a
frustrating, disappointing, waste of time. Chairing a meeting
effectively does not come naturally, but it can be learned through
practice and effort. Use this checklist to help you as you learn the
job.
Before the Meeting
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Meetings are for making decisions. Be sure you understand what
decisions have to be made at the meeting.
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Plan the agenda to ensure that the most important and most
time-critical decisions are made first.
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Make sure that reports and information necessary to make the needed
decisions are sent with the agenda in sufficient time for them to be read.
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Contact individuals scheduled to make a verbal report and make sure
they will be present or will appoint someone else to give the report.
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Note when someone comes unprepared to the meeting. Call them in
advance of the next meeting with a reminder to read and think about the
agenda items before the meeting.
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The board or committee can be severely handicapped when members are
absent. Frequent absences may indicate personal problems for the member or
a problem with the Board. If you have reason to think that any member is
not making a serious effort to attend all meetings, call them to find out
why.
At
the Meeting
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Use a “Consent Agenda” to dispense quickly with routine and
non-controversial agenda items.
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Rules of order are important to ensure that decisions are made
fairly and that the rights of the majority and minorities are protected.
Make sure that the rules you follow encourage adequate discussion and
participation.
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Start meetings at the scheduled time.
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Introduce and welcome all newcomers.
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Summarize the issues to be discussed.
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Clarify the time-line for discussion.
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Keep a speakers list. Make sure that everyone who wishes to speak
has done so before any speaker has a second opportunity.
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Encourage the quiet ones. Direct questions to them or go around the
table so that everyone can comment.
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When discussion wanders, bring it back to the matter at hand.
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Be alert to nonverbal behaviours signifying dissent. Ask the
dissenter to comment.
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When debate becomes confrontational and positions become
entrenched, seek ways to identify the interests and values that underlie
the be positions and seek ways to negotiate resolution.
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Watch for signs that the debate has run its course. Then summarize
the discussion and ask for a vote or expression of consensus.
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Ask the secretary to read all motions, amendments to be sure that
they are clear, express the intent of the mover, and are correctly entered
in the minutes.
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Before the meeting is adjourned (or before people start leaving),
make sure that anyone who has been assigned a task is clear on their
responsibilities and aware of the reporting date.
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Check to see if anyone has a problem with the next meeting date and
time.
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End the meeting on time.
After
the Meeting
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Review the previous meetings to identify problems so that they can
be addressed before the next meeting.
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Review the Annual Agenda to see what is coming up in the months
ahead. Update the annual agenda if necessary.
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Review this checklist. Consider what you might do to make the next
meeting better, and what long-term strategies might improve your meetings.
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Consider what you might do to assist new members, deal with
absenteeism, or remediate poor performance.
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If you have a vice-chairperson or if there is someone in line for
the chairperson’s role, include her or him in this review process. |
