I. Read the text about AOB and do the tasks given below.

Notice that the traditional item, any other business (AOB) is no

included in the agenda. Meetings must be purposeful and AOB dilutes that purpose.

AOB has long been an excuse by the vocal minority to hijack a meeting, using it as a platform to address their own political agendas or introduce topics they were too lazy to bring to the attention of the meeting organizer before the meeting. Often the person who raises other business is the least prepared for the meeting. In reality, many meetings spend longer discussing other business than dealing with scheduled topics.

The absence of AOB has several benefits:

1. The meeting remains purposeful and on topic.

2. The meeting can run to time. AOB can create long extensions to a meeting.

3. Everyone is open with each other about meeting.

4. There can be no surprises. Meeting participants should have time to prepare for a topic before the meeting, and AOB prevents that preparation. The only person likely to be prepared to discuss the other

business is the person who raises the topic, and there is a considerable danger of them to railroading participants into agreement with something which they have not considered in sufficient detail to make an informed decision.

The only reason for other business to be discussed comes when an emergency arises between the distribution of the agenda and the meeting date. If this is

the case, the person involved should raise the issue with the Chair, and if

sufficient people see the urgent need to discuss it, then it can be included. Do

not ever include AOB in the agenda, because participants should use it as a rare exception and not a rule.

Task 1. Decide if the following statements are true (T) or false (F).

1) It is advisable not to include AOB in the agenda. ……………..

2) The item AOB shouldn’t be present in the agenda because it

makes the purpose of the meeting weaker, less important. ……

3) The person who raises other business is usually most prepared for the meeting. ………………

4) The majority of people consider AOB as a platform for discussing their own problems. ……………..

5) Lots of meetings take longer time to discuss other business which is rather disturbing. ……………

6) The discussion of AOB is usually spontaneous not prepared at home for many participants. ……………

7) Try to exclude AOB from an agenda…………………

Task 2. Find words in the text which mean:

1) to make something less strong or effective ……………….

2) a small amount of people or things ……………………..

3) an unexpected situation involving danger

in which immediate action is necessary …………………

4) to contain somebody or something …………………….

5) to stop something from happening or

somebody from doing something ……………………

6) to force someone to do something

that they do not want to do …………………..

Task 3. Read a summary of the text above. Compare it with the original and write

down seven mistakes made in the summary and correct them.

1) ………………………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………..

2) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

3) ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

4) ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

5) ……………………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………………………..

6) ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

7) ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The traditional item, any other business (AOB), is not recommended to include in the agenda, because meetings must be purposeful and AOB may dilute that purpose.

Lots of people think that AOB is a good chance for them to present their views and attract the attention of the participants to their political and social agendas. Usually the person who raises the other business is good prepared for the meeting. In reality few meetings spend more time discussing other business than dealing with planned topics.

There are several benefits of not including AOB in the agenda. The first benefit is that meetings remain purposeful. The second one is that a meeting can start running at any time. But the most important advantage is that there is no surprise at the meeting because meeting participants do their homework in preparing for the meeting.

The only disadvantage of including AOB in the agenda is that here is a

danger of not to sing an agreement because of different points of view between the meeting participants. To sum up, AOB should generally be included in the agenda.

II. Translate the following lecture given by Karen Mannering on “Make Meetings Work” into the English language. Write down your translation in the space below.

В бизнесе встречи неизбежны. Они дают возможность обмениваться информацией, проводить обсуждения и принимать решения. Будете ли вы проводить совещание в своем офисе или принимать участие в международном саммите, вам следует помнить, что существуют правила, которым вы должны следовать, если хотите быть успешными. Этикет – это то, о чем вам необходимо знать и успешно пользоваться.

Как человек, долгое время работающий в различных направлениях в бизнесе и обучающий персонал умениям и навыкам ведения встреч и умению писать протоколы, я прекрасно понимаю, что информация, которая могла бы помочь вам овладеть этими умениями, не всегда представлена в простом и доступном виде, и часто оказывается бесполезной.

За свою карьеру я видела многое – встречи, на которые никто не спешит прийти, залы заседаний, переполненные людьми, которым приходиться сидеть на столах или даже стоять в проходах.

Я также была свидетелем того, как люди посылали SMSсо своих мобильников, которые держали на коленях под столом,

и даже ели что-то во время обсуждения.

Не всем нравится посещать собрания, но они, собрания, остаются самым быстрым и эффективным способом передачи информации множеству людей за самое кроткое время и получение от них обратной связи.

По этой причине встречи все еще необходимы.

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Дата добавления: 2015-08-27