EXERCISE 1
1. What is one word for 'an accepted rule or method'?
2. Why are formal meetings, such as board meetings, held?
3. Where would you be likely to find a list of the titles of the office-bearers of a company, together with their powers and responsibilities?
4. Explain the meaning of the word quorum.
5. Where would you be likely to find rules that govern the protocols that apply to formal meetings?
6. Briefly, what is the purpose of the standing orders of a company?
7. List six conventions for meetings that refer to the way meetings are conducted.
8. If you were 'complying with a rule', what would you be doing?
9. Which type of meeting is governed by legislation?
10. Why would a company need to investigate liability insurance if it were holding a large public meeting?
EXERCISE 2
1. Explain why a chairperson's role is described as being 'crucial' in a meeting.
2. Where did the colloquialism 'get the nod' come from and what does it mean?
3. If you were moving a motion at a meeting, how many minutes in total would you be able tospeak in support of the motion?
4. If you wanted to raise an issue for discussion at a formal meeting, describe the procedure youwould have to follow.
5. Before the motion could be discussed, however, what needs to happen?
6. If you were speaking in the affirmative during a debate, would you be in support of or against the motion being considered?
7. Why do you think it is important for all participants in a meeting to direct their remarks or questions through the chairperson?
8. At what point in a debate is the mover of a motion asked to 'sum up' by the chairperson?
9. In what ways can participants at a formal meeting effect the way the meeting is beingconducted? Name three specifically.
10. What type of motion is 'the gag' and what is its purpose?
11. Give two reasons why you might move a motion of adjournment.
12. Explain the procedure that must be followed when someone calls 'point of order' in a formal meeting.
13. During which procedural motion are you likely to see the chairman move from his chair and be replaced by someone else?
14. Who is this new chairperson likely to be?
15. List the three most common ways that a vote can be taken in a formal meeting.
16. Describe the term 'ballot' and its advantages
17. Describe the process of making a decision by consensus.
18. How can a deadlocked vote be resolved? Name the process.
EXERCISE 3
1. What is another way to describe the minute-taker?
2. Explain why you think companies would need to have written records of the meetings that take place.
3. Describe what is meant by the term 'extended minutes'.
4. Give two reasons why it is desirable to have as accurate a record of meetings as is possible.
5. How are the names of the participants of a meeting recorded? Give two methods.
6. How much detail must be recorded of motions moved in meetings?
7. Name two advantages to the minute-taker of using a tape recorder at a meeting.
8. Give two reasons why some companies would not permit a tape recorder in their meetings.
9. If you had to write something down verbatim, what would you be doing?
10. Why would it be a good idea for the minute-taker to type up the notes of the meeting straight away?
11. If a tape recorder was used to record the proceedings at a meeting, what three things should be done?
12. How would the minutes or record of an informal committee meeting differ from those of a formal meeting, such as a board meeting?
EXERCISE 4
1. What other record of the meeting would help the minute-taker or secretary in compiling thedraft of the minutes of a meeting?
2. What things would you need to consider when you were formatting the minutes of a meeting? "
3. How would you go about finding out what formatting is used in your organisation for the
4. minutes of a formal meeting? Name two ways.
5. What does the word 'Carried' mean in the sample minutes?
6. What method of voting was used to accept the correspondence at the meeting?
7. To whom should you show your draft minutes after you have checked them yourself for accuracy?EXERCISE 10
1. If you were asked to make copies of the minutes of a meeting, describe how you would arriveat the appropriate number of sets to make.
2. What is the most common practice with regard to circulating the minutes of a meeting?
3. What does bi-monthly mean?
4. Describe the traditional method many companies use to store the minutes of meetings.
5. For how long should the minutes of a company's meetings be kept? Use more than one word.
6. Why is it so important that no one is given an opportunity to tamper with or change theminutes of a company's meetings? Give two reasons.
7. Who in a company is responsible for ensuring the security of the Minutes Book?
8. What is the difference between the minutes of committee meetings and the minutes of board meetings?
9. How should minutes and minutes books be filed?
10. What other methods of storage could be used? Describe three.
11. If you were assigned a task during a formal meeting, describe two ways you could ensure youdid not forget to take the required action within the designated time frame.
12. If you were the convener of a committee, how would the management of your company findout what the committee had achieved, or what actions or recommendations the memberswere considering?
Exercise 5
1. Give two of your own examples of meetings held to set team goals.
2. Define 'Notice of Motion' and explain the purpose of one.
3. What does foreshadow mean?
4. List five qualities of an effective meeting.
5. If you seconded a motion at a meeting, what would you then be expected to do?
6. If you were rebutting something in a meeting, what would you be doing
7. Name three procedural motions.
8. What is a show of hands'?
9. Phone a large corporation and ask about its Code of Practice (or that of its industry). Find outabout some of the aims of its code or the standards it is required to meet. Make a list ofseveral you think are the most important and briefly explain why you think this.
10. From your own experience, give an example of making a decision by consensus.
11. Go to the library and research an aspect of legislation that affects business operations andprocedures-for example, Occupational Health and Safety, Equal Opportunity or Antidiscrimination.Then write a few sentences about the legislation and why it was introduced, orwhat effect it is intended to have in the workplace
12. If you arranged something chronologically, what would you be doing?
13. Go to a meeting of a local council or another organisation that you or a friend belongs to.
14. Make sure you have a copy of the agenda for the meeting so you can follow the proceedings.
15. Councils often provide seating for visitors in the public gallery of the chambers and will provide a copy of the agenda for the meeting.)Observe how the meeting is conducted and by whom, and if a procedural motion (the gag) or any other procedural motions are applied. Study the debating techniques used, if any.
Write a brief report about how effective you thought the meeting was in dealing with the items on the agenda. Describe the performance of the chairperson and those who took part indebates. Suggest ways in which you think the meeting could have been improved.
Give your report as an oral presentation to your group or the class.