Now that you have prepared for your meeting, you are required to conduct a session chairing a technical practitioners meeting. The meeting must be relevant to the type of meeting preparing for. As you chair the meeting, ensure that:

You agree with members on rules and guidelines on behavior.
You agree on meeting motions throughout the meeting according to the type of meeting and in accordance with the standing procedures of the organisation(s) involved
Ensure that the published agenda is followed.
You provide for active participation by all members to avoid/ minimize conflict.
Ensure that meeting topics are prioritised and that discussion times are allocated according to importance, urgency, complexity and agenda. vi. Ensures that agreed decisions are clear, accurate, includes a time frame for action and are within the mandate of the type of meeting conducted.

1 answer

Chairing a Technical Practitioners Meeting

Meeting Overview:

Date & Time: [Insert Date & Time]
Location: [Insert Location/Platform]
Duration: [Insert Time Duration]
Attendees: [List of Attendees]
Meeting Focus: [Insert Technical Topic of Discussion]

Opening the Meeting

1. Welcome and Introductions:

"Good [morning/afternoon], everyone. Thank you for joining today's technical practitioners meeting. I’m [Your Name], the chair for today’s session. Let’s start with a quick round of introductions so that everyone knows who’s in attendance."

2. Establishing Rules and Guidelines:

"Before we dive into our agenda, let’s agree on some basic rules and guidelines for our behavior during the meeting. Here are a few suggestions:
- One person speaks at a time; please raise your hand or use the 'raise hand' feature to indicate you want to contribute.
- Stay on topic and keep comments concise to ensure we cover all agenda items.
- Respect differing viewpoints and maintain a professional demeanor.
- Allow for constructive feedback and ensure all voices are heard.
Is everyone comfortable with these rules? Do we have any additional guidelines we should consider?"

Following the Published Agenda

3. Review Agenda:

"Let’s quickly review our agenda for today’s meeting. As you can see, we have several important topics lined up:
1. [Agenda Item 1]
2. [Agenda Item 2]
3. [Agenda Item 3]
4. Open Floor for Q&A
We'll allocate specific time blocks for each item based on importance and urgency. Please keep track of the time, and let’s ensure we address all points."

Active Participation and Discussion

4. Engaging Members:

"I encourage everyone to actively participate and share their insights, especially on the first item, which is particularly complex. I’ll start by inviting [Name of a specific attendee] to share their perspective on [Agenda Item 1]. After that, I encourage other members to provide their thoughts."

Prioritizing Topics and Allocating Discussion Times

5. Managing Time During Discussions:

"Let’s allocate 15 minutes for each agenda item, which means we’ll need to stay focused. I’ll give a gentle reminder when we have 5 minutes left for discussion on each item. We’ll prioritize based on our goals today, ensuring that the most pressing issues are addressed first."

Making Decisions and Establishing Action Items

6. Making Decisions:

"As we reach conclusions on each agenda item, let’s ensure our decisions are clear and actionable. For example, at the end of our discussion on [Agenda Item 1], we’ll document the decision made, who is responsible for action, and a target date for completion."

Conclusion of Meeting

7. Recap of Decisions and Action Items:

"Before we wrap up, let’s quickly recap the decisions made today:
- Decision on Agenda Item 1: [Summarize Decision], assigned to [Name], due by [Timeframe]
- Decision on Agenda Item 2: [Summarize Decision], assigned to [Name], due by [Timeframe]
- And so on for each agenda item.
If everyone is clear on these items, we can move on."

8. Open Floor:

"We have a bit of time left, so I’ll open the floor for any questions or additional comments. Please remember to keep your points brief."

9. Closing the Meeting:

"Thank you all for your valuable contributions today. I appreciate everyone’s participation. I will send out the minutes of the meeting, including the decisions and action items, along with our next meeting date, by [Insert Deadline]. Safe travels and have a great day!"

Summary:

As the chairperson, it’s essential to manage the flow of the meeting, encourage participation, adhere to established guidelines, and ensure a productive discussion that results in clear action items. By doing so, you facilitate a constructive environment that supports technical collaboration and decision-making.