Running a decent meeting – it’s not rocket science

Does anyone know how to run a meeting any more?

I have recently been to 2 annual general meetings, both for strata plan bodies corporate. Each has been chaired by a representative from the strata manager. In one of the meetings, for a body corporate which I chair, the strata manager actually asked if he could chair the meeting instead of me, "because there are a lot of technical points." Okay, go for it.

In each case, people who do this for a living paid scant regard to any proper process. They will, I am sure, just purport to fix it up with a set of minutes which will attempt retrospectively to make everything sit properly.

Really, it's not that hard. Here are 5 things which you can do (none of which were done in either AGM) when chairing a meeting which has some element of statutory requirement behind it. They will not only contribute to passing valid resolutions; they should also help the orderly flow of the meeting.

• Be clear with the attendees about who is there, and on what basis, with what authority. This is particularly so with proxy holders and observers. Otherwise anyone may try to vote on the resolutions before the meeting.
  
• Pass resolutions properly – and not just via the minutes:
  
  • After discussion on the motion, if there is anything different to what is set out in the agenda, summarise it for the meeting
    
  • If not, restate what the resolution is
    
  • ASK PEOPLE TO VOTE. It's simple – "those in favour raise your hands; those against, raise your hands." Then declare the resolution passed, or not passed, as the case may be.
    
• Consider if things on the agenda make sense to be done in the order set out. If not, seek the meeting's agreement to vary the order.
  
• Be clear about what you can deal with in "any other business". If it is an AGM, you probably can't deal validly with anything if a resolution would be needed. Board meetings and committee meetings are different, and there is scope for a wide range of other business to be considered.
  
• Be aware of discussion which doesn't have anything to do with the agenda item or the resolution being discussed. Look, when people only get together once a year in a forum where discussion between them all is available, they may have plenty to say about a variety of things. It's a great opportunity for them to connect and communicate. But if it's off agenda, it is fair to the people who are there to transact the business of the meeting to say:
  "That's a very good question. Let's finish dealing with the agenda, then we can close the meeting and have a good discussion about it."
  

Is it just me, living up to a nickname I once had of "that pedantic bastard"? Maybe. But if you hang out your shingle as a professional who does this kind of business, you ought to do it properly.

And if you are an accidental chair (i.e. no-one else could be conned into taking the job), then you probably need all the help you can get. If you use these 5 steps, you will have done better than at least 50% of people who run meetings.

(If you want to see a more comprehensive one page guide to running a board meeting, or running an AGM, just email me on zentricity@optusnet.com.au)