Unit 9: Running a face-to-face meeting

Saying it clearly

Listen and repeat the following sentences from the previous lesson.

Getting the meeting started
1.Thank you all for coming. Let’s get down to business.
2.I’m glad you could all makeit. Perhaps we could make a start.
3.I’d like to welcome you all here today. Let's get started.

Setting out the aims of the meeting/going through the agenda
4.The aim of this meeting today is to fixnext year's budget.
5.On the agenda today are the following points for discussion.
6.Looking at the agenda, you'll see that there are five things to discuss today.

Introducing the first point for discussion
7.So, let's look at point number one.
8.John, would you like to begin/start?
9.Lynn, would you like to kick/start things off?

Sticking to the agenda
10.Can you stop there, Paul? Let's not get sidetracked.
11.Let's not lose sight ofthe main objective here.
12.Shall we move on to the next point?

Asking for contributions from others
13.Any thoughts on this, Janine?
14.Do we all agree on this?
15.What do you think, Simon?

Summarizing and concluding
16.OK, that wraps up everything for today.
17.So, let's just summarize the main things we've agreed.
18.So, to sum up, we've agreed the budget for next year.


Saying it appropriately

When we want to hear from other people at a meeting and to get their opinions, we use a rising intonation in the voice. Listen to these sentences and repeat them.

1.Any ideas about this, Ellen?
2.Do we all think this is a good idea?
3.Simon, what do you think?
4.Is everyone happy with this, then?
5.Shall we move on to the next point?

To stop someone from digressing, interrupting, or dominating in a meeting, you need to be firm yet polite. Listen to these sentences and repeat them.

1.John, I think you're getting off the point here.
2.Paula, could we just hear what Neil has to say first?
3.Philippa, could we come back to your point in a moment?

Get speaking

You are chairing (managing) a meeting with Rita and Paolo to discuss the plans for the upcoming company conference. Here is your agenda.
You start. Begin by chairing the meeting, covering the first three points. Follow the cues.

1.Get the meeting started.
2.Go through the agenda for the meeting.
3.Introduce the first point of discussion and ask Rita to contribute.
4.Say that you like Rita's suggestion and ask Paolo what he thinks.
5.Say that you like Paulo's suggestion and ask him to come up with some detailed suggestions on this.
6.Move the meeting onto point two on the agenda and ask Rita to contribute.
7.Get the meeting back on track and ask Rita to continue.
8.Say that you like Rita's idea and ask her to get some prices for you.
9.Summarize the main points of the meeting and the action items and check that they agree.
10.Check if they have anything else to add.
11.Conclude the meeting.