II. Study business idioms and use them in the sentences of your own

UNIT 1

MEETINGS

TYPES OF MEETINGS

Starting up

A What makes effective meetings? Choose the most important factors from this list.

good oraganization enthusiasm of the members suitable location

well-planned agenda teamwork effective chairperson

B What other factors are important for effective meetings?

C Consider the factors below and place them in order of priority for making the meeting effective. Explain your reasons.

Being punctual

2 Participants’ being prepared and notified in advance

A clearly set objective

4 All participants’ awareness of their responsibilities

Strict addressing the issues stated on the agenda

Documenting the meeting

Dress code

Reading

Meetings: Formal and Informal

a) Scan the paragraph below and highlight the following:

-the purpose of formal and informal meeting

- the primary difference between formal and informal meetings

-the frequency at which the meetings are held

Most organizations have both formal and informal meetings. A formal meeting is one in which the entire membership meets to hear reports of officers, boards, and committees, and to propose business, discuss it, and vote on it. An informal meeting is one in which a small group of the organization meets, in either committee meetings or small boards, to help the organization carry out its goals.

Meeting procedures vary according to the meeting type. The primary role of the chairman in a meeting is to head the meeting and regulate the discusions that such a meeting is engaged in. He will therefore be farmiliar with the agenda and all substantive topics in the meeting. In formal meetings, the members usually follow strict parliamentary procedures, which means that the chairman stands while presiding and while stating a motion and taking the vote. He or she does not participate in the debate unless he or she leaves the chair. Members must rise and be recognized in order to obtain the floor, make motions, and debate. Debate is restricted to ten minutes each time a member speaks unless there is a rule to the contrary, and each member may speak twice to a motion. Formal meetings range from annual meetings and regular periodic meetings to conventions and mass meetings, plus less-common types such as adjourned (continued), executive, and special meetings and sessions.

In informal meetings, the person presiding is usually seated and takes an active role in making motions, discussing them, and voting on all issues. There are usually no limits on debate, and members can discuss an issue without a formal motion. The two most common types of informal meetings are board and committee meetings.

b) Have you ever heard about electronic meetings. Why/why not may they eventually replace traditional meetings?

Electronic Meetings

Many organizations today have officers and members scattered across the globe and choose to conduct meetings via the telephone, e-mail, or videoconferencing. Remember that the reason organizations have meetings is so that members can hear about issues, respond to what others are saying, and give suggestions to evaluate them all at the same time. Telephone and video conferencing meetings allow members the means to accomplish these goals. If members want to hold telephone or video conferencing meetings, the bylaws must include a special provision. Members should adopt rules of order concerning basic parliamentary procedure about how to obtain the floor, make motions, and handle the debate in telephone and video conferencing meetings

c) The paragraph below gives you a somewhat ironical view of the meeting.Read it and find the instances of the author’s attitude to the meeting as a time consuming and useless gathering.

Nine out of ten businessmen believe half the time they spend in meetings to be wasted. A typical meeting usually goes according to the same boring pattern. Even the set-up has its amusing side as there are many people sitting at either side of a table and they are often more serious than the issues at stake. One makes a point and the other responds. Some people get off the point too much and the chairman asks them to hold to the items listed on the agenda. The agenda is a list of points that have to be dealt with and its purpose is to speed up the meeting and keep everyone to the point. As the meeting progresses, some of the stronger statements are watered down and gradually many other points fall by the wayside. The end often comes suddenly and it is sometimes difficult to understand why the chairman says that the meeting has covered a lot of ground. The chairman recaps the main points and the secretary takes minutes. The meeting wraps up and people shake hands.

.

Exercise 1. Answer the following questions.

1) What is the pattern of a typical meeting?

2) What is the difference between formal and informal meetings?

3) What types of formal meetings do you know?

4) What types of informal meeting do you know?

5) What must the members of informal meetings do?

6) How long does debate take in the formal meetings?

7) What is the purpose of the electronic meetings?

8) What are the ways of conducting the electronic meetings?

9) What should members do in order to hold telephone or video meetings?

Exercise 2. Find words in the texts which mean the following.

1 make an official note of something in the record of the meeting_________________

2 the way that something is organized or arranged_____________________________

3 begin to talk about other things rather than the subject you are supposed to be discussing_______________________________________________________

4 a list of the subjects to be discussed at a meeting_____________________________

5 repeat the main points of something that has just been said___________________

6 make a statement, report etc less forceful by changing it or removing parts that may offend people _________________________________________________________

7 begin speaking at an important public meeting_______________________________

8 fail in what you are trying to do, or get neglected and forgotten about_____________

9 the written rules for conduct of a corporation, association, partnership or any organization.______________________________________________________

10 put forward a proposal at a meeting_____________________________________

11 be in charge of a formal event, organization, ceremony etc.____________________

Exercise 3. Match the columns to form collocations.

1) Fall by a) minutes

2) Take b) a lot of ground

3) Handle c) to the point

4) Keep somebody d) the debate

5) Cover e) the point

6) Make f) the wayside

Exercise 4. Translate the following sentences from Ukrainian into English using active vocabulary.

A)

1) Обов'язком секретаря є уважно і ретельно вести протокол з борів відповідно до вимог, затверджених у регламенті.

2) Збори відбуваються за тією самою рутинною схемою. На початкуобирається головуючий зборіві секретар та затверджується порядок денний.

3) Головуючий пообіцяв не піднімати питання оподаткування на зборах і висунув пропозицію перенести збори на наступний місяць.

4) Кожен бажаючий отримав слово, всі питання були обговорені, незважаючи на те, що час, відведений на дебати, був обмежений до години.

5) На останніх зборах компанії вдалося обговорити чимало питань, що знаходились на порядку денному.

6) Обговорення питання екологічної кризи в регіоні зупинилося на півдорозі, оскільки учасникам зборів не вдалося знайти вирішення цієї проблеми.

7) Після проведення голосування були затверджені нові правила щодо членства в раді директорів компанії.

B) Досвідчений керівник знає, що збори створюють організацію. З їх допомогою можна підтримувати зв'язки всередині компанії і проводити в життя прийняті рішення, звіряти ступінь наближення до цілей і руйнувати бар'єри між відділами. Якщо ви не проводите збори у Вашій організації, то виникає проблема чуток, яка призводить до роз'єднаності і невпевненості співробітників у завтрашньому дні, а потім і до втрати керованості. Якісно організовані і проведені збори дозволяють: оперативно вирішити поточні проблеми, замотивувати персонал на виконання плану, зібрати думки і протестувати зміни,що заплановані і сформувати з колективу команду, просунути організацію вперед якнайшвидше і майже задарма

Exercise 5. Read the dialogue and underline the types of meetings. What is the purpose of each of them? Do you know any other types?

Susanna: All right, then. This meeting is over. We’ll meet again next week for a status update.

Juan: Hey, do you have a few minutes to talk about tomorrow’s teleconference?

Susanna: Sorry, I’ve got to run. I’m late for my department’s weekly brainstorming session. Can it wait?

Juan: Sure, how about a lunch meeting?

Susanna: I can’t. I’m holding personnel meetings over lunch all this week. It’s the only way I can fit them in.

Juan: Okay, how about at 3:00 this afternoon?

Susanna: Sorry, I have a standing meeting with the directors once a month at that time. Can you come by after the pitch meeting at 4:30?

Juan: I wish I could, but our department head has called an emergency meeting for this afternoon to do some damage control after the shareholder meeting debacle last week. Well, how about a dinner meeting?

Susanna: Only if we can have dinner at 9:30. I won’t be finished here until then.

Juan: Do you ever get a breather?

Susanna: A breather? I think I’m due for one...in 2030.

Exercise 6. Below you see the categorization of meeting types.

A) Match the meeting type with the basic purpose of the meeting.

1) Brainstorming Sessions (_____) a) to verify facts and script a reply

2) Status Updates (_____) b) to assess progress and assign new tasks

3) Damage Control (_____) c) todistribute annual reports to members

4) Personnel Meetings(_____) d) to hire someone, to determine if there are grounds for disciplinary actions or dismissal, to identify which divisions need more staff

5) Pitch Sessions (_____) e) toresolve a current or potential problem

6) Shareholder Meetings (_____) f) to impress the client and demonstrate that you've researched her/his needs

B) Read the full description of the meeting types and check if you have done the matching exercise correctly.

a) (_________________) When you're in the business of courting new clients, the colloquial term for a pitch session is a " dog and pony show." The purpose is to present enough razzle-dazzle that will not only impress the client but also demonstrate that you've researched her needs and are prepared to give her all your attention. Conversely, vendors use pitch sessions on company decision makers to convince them to carry their products.

b) (____________________)"Think tank" meetings bring participants together to explore the available options for resolving a current or potential problem. Everyone's ideas are heard, discussed, modified and debated, and the solution that the majority agrees is the most practical is the one that gets chosen.

c) (___________________) Personnel meetings take three forms. The first is an interview to hire someone and involves the applicant and two to four people familiar with the job requirements. The second is an administrative hearing for determining whether there are grounds for disciplinary actions or dismissal. This involves the employee, his union rep, and individuals who have knowledge of the case. The third is a staffing review to identify which divisions need more staff or can meet budget cuts through furloughs and attrition.

d) (___________________) Whether it's a political campaign in a tailspin or a baby food company that's been forced to recall a product because of contamination, it's critical that everyone be on the same page. Rather than risk the press hearing 50 different versions of what happened, the purpose of a damage control meeting is to verify the facts and script one reply that all participants will adhere to.

e) (___________________) Investors like to know that their money and their trust haven't been misplaced, especially in a shaky economy. A shareholder meeting is a large-scale forum in which annual reports are distributed to members, who have the opportunity to hear what the board has to say about the company's standing and future growth. If it's a brand new company in the works, the early meetings will involve its main players and focus on issues such as its structure and governing by-laws, financing, marketing, location, insurance, licensing, and scope of products and services.

f) (____________________) Managers and line supervisors often hold weekly or monthly staff meetings as a forum to assess each unit's progress and assign new tasks as well as identify declining sales or services issues before they escalate into major problems. These meetings usually follow a written agenda and participants are expected to be prepared.

J Business Mix

Slang and idioms

I. a) Read the dialogues “overheard” during and after the meetings. Translate them.

B) Work in pairs. Rephrase the dialogues.

C) Work in groups. Continue the dialogue and make a longer conversation.

1)

- Can I bring you on this? You’ve been doing some research on this problem, as far as I know?

- I’m sorry but I don’t have this information on my fingertips? I’ll get back to you on that after the next break

2)

- I’d like to give the floor to Mr X who has something to say about the financial side of things. Mr X, can you give us the overall picture as you see it?

- Let’s leave the problem of finance aside for the moment. I’d like to set your mind at something else for a while.

3)

- Are you still with me?

- I was with you as far as point five, then I got confused. I didn’t get your last point either. Could you go over it again please?

- Perhaps I haven’t made myself clear. Let me put it another way …

- I still don’t catch it.

4)

- I was absent from the last meeting, can you clue me in on what happened?

- Oh, that was really a stormy meeting! There were some disturbing hecklers and the manager completely lost his cool. You know, he hates such shenanigans.

- Yes, the trouble is that whenever we are go ing through a bad patch he starts losing his nerve. It was unlucky to suffer a setback like that.

II. Fill in the gaps in the exercise below with the appropriate phrase from the list.

Overall picture to hold the meeting

To sit the fence to go through a bad patch

Hot air gift of the gab

to have something on one’s fingertips to get a word in edgeways

to clue somebody in straightforward matter

To cut it short

1) Their promises turned out to be just so much ….

2) Please … me … on what's been going on.

3) My brother really has the …. He can convince anyone of anything.

4) Although the globalization of culture in our everyday lives seems obvious in some ways, it really isn't an altogether ….

5) The more facts you ……… the more easy it is to persuade people.

6) The remaining counseling members decided to ……………… without him after being advised by the city attorney

7) Many MPs have certainly supported him in the first round. He is the obvious choice for those who wish …………..

8) Whenever Barker was allowed ………………, it was obvious that he would be fascinating if only Hamilton would remain silent long enough for him to speak.

9) “Tim and I,” said Louise heavily, ”are …………….. We get on each other’s nerves, …………..”

10) …..……….. of the negotiations is positive but more work is needed to update and merge proposals.

Talking points.

I. These are questions that a business owner should be able to answer about their business. He should know what the regular volume of his business should be, understand where his profitability is and what the average revenue and margin are on a customer. These are all numbers that he will be expected to know as he becomes more sophisticated in the running of his business.

Roleplay the situation when a business owner asks his teammates to inform him on the current state of affairs in his company. Representatives of what departments are supposed to possess the detailed information on the following? Make up dialogues to imitate a working meeting.

What are the monthly sales?

How many customers have we served? How many more customers do we need to see?

What are the average balances in our A/R? (Accounts Receivable)

What is the average turn on money?

What is the quick ratio?

What is the return on capital?

What is the return on assets?

What is the internal rate of return?

arm a part of an organization that deals with a particular subject or activity

back office a department of a bank or other financial institution in which people check the work done by people in other departments, for example to make sure that all business deals are legal

branch an office representing a large company or organization in a particular area

customer services -the department of a company that provides customers with information and deals with any problems or complaints that they have

department -one of the sections in a government, organization, or business that deals with one type of work(e.g. accounting department, sales department,acquisitions)

help desk -a service provided by a company to give information and support to its customers

HR -human resources-the department within a company that is responsible for employing and training people, and for taking care of workers who have problems

mailroom -a room in an organization where mail is received and where it is prepared for sending out

nerve center -the center of a large business, political, or other organization, where decisions are made and activities are planned and directed

personnel -the department in an organization that is responsible for taking care of and keeping records of all the people working there, and for choosing new workers

R & D -research and development: the department in a large company that is responsible for studying new ideas and developing new products

sale -the department of a company that sells its products or services

secretariat -the part of a large organization in which secretarial work is done

studio -a place in a company where new products are designed

II. Comment on the following quotations:

-Why are business meetings important? Because then you know what is your plan.

ModernAnalyst.com

“Meetings are indispensable when you don't want to do anything.”

John Kenneth

“The only summit meeting that can succeed is the one that does not take place.”

Barry Goldwater

"Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion."

Cyril Northolt Parkinson

Success in business requires training and discipline and hard work. But if you're not frightened by these things, the opportunities are just as great today as they ever were.

David Rockefeller

Meetings become toxic for uncreative people as they put uncreative people in a situation in which they have to be something they can never be. And the more effort they put into concealing their inabilities, the more toxic the meeting becomes. One of the most common creativity-faking tactics is when someone puts their hands in prayer position and conceals their mouth while they nod at you and say, 'Mmmmmm. Interesting.' If pressed, they’ll add, 'I’ll have to get back to you on that.' Then they don’t say anything else.

Douglas Coupland

THE AGENDA

Starting up

Look at the statements giving the most essential information about the agenda, say if they are True or False. Correct the wrong ones.

The Agenda

1. (T/F) communicates important information such as:

1. topics for discussion

2. presenter or discussion leader for each topic

3. time allotment for each topic

2. (T/F) provides an outline for the meeting (how long to spend on which topic)

3. (T/F) can be used as a checklist to ensure that all information is covered

4. (T/F) lets participants know what will be discussed if it's distributed during the meeting.

5. (T/F) This gives them an opportunity to come to the meeting prepared for the upcoming discussions or decisions.

6. (T/F) deprives the meeting of a focus (the objective of the meeting must be clearly stated in the agenda)

7. (T/F) You ask the secretary to inform the participants of the meeting by phone

8. (T/F) In case the participants request an agenda item they must contact the meeting organizers no less than two days before the meeting.

9. (T/F) Meeting organizers should be realistic in the amount of time they allocate to each presenter and cram as many agenda items into an hour meeting as is possible.

10. (T/F) When people accept an hour meeting, they expect it to be finished in an hour.

READING

THE AGENDA

The agenda is a list of items of business to be dealt with at a meeting. These items are arranged in logical order. Routine business is always placed first and any other business at the end of the agenda.

The chairman of the meeting prepares the agenda which is most often given to the participants in advance. The items of business are discussed at the meeting in the order they appear in the agenda. Thanks to the agenda the business of the meeting can be conducted swiftly and effectively. Without it a meeting may quickly go out of control and not achieve its purpose. The agenda of a formal meeting is later included in the minutes.

Below find a simple example of the agenda of a club committee meeting, which the Club Secretary has sent to members of the Committee. He calls the meeting, gives the place, the date and the time of the meeting. He also informs of the items to be discussed. Any other business is often written AOB. A notice, which calls an Annual General Meeting of a company, is sent to all shareholders of the company. Read the examples and note how simple and concise the notices are.

Examples

The Agenda of the Committee Meeting of a Club

FALENICA TENNIS CLUB

Ul. Lokalna 7, 00-234 Warszawa

Mr Ann B Janota 28 March 201…

Dear Ms Janota

A meeting of Committee will be held in the Clubhouse on 10 March 201… at 4 pm.

AGENDA

1 Minutes of Committee Meeting on 9 February 201 …

2 Matters arising from the minutes

3 Membership

4 Sub-committee reports

5 Costs of repairing three tennis courts

6 Any other business

Yours sincerely

M.Monko

Club Secretary

The Agenda of a Formal Meeting

The 4th Council Meeting of the IRB Bank will be held

on April 15, 201... in the conference room of the Bank at 10 am.

AGENDA

Opening

Minutes of the previous meeting

Matters arising from the minutes

Report from the President on the current situation

Commercial report

Treasury budget 201...

Staff

Premises

Regulations of The Board

Any other business

Close

By Order of the Board

A Berezyuk

A Berezyuk Secretary

21 March 201…

This is an example of a notice which calls the Annual General Meeting of a company. It has been sent to the shareholders of the company. Note how simple and concise the notice is.

Notice Calling the Annual General Meeting of a Company

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the 3^rd Annual General Meeting of Ogrodex Company Limited will be held in the Company’s office building, at Skierniewice on Tuesday 4 April 20… at 10.30 am for the following purposes:

1 To receive and consider the Company’s Accounts and the Reports of the Directors and of the Auditors for the year ended 31 December 201…

2 To declare a dividend

3 To elect a Director of the Company

4 To fix the remuneration of the Auditors for 201…

5 To transact any other business

By order of the Board

A. Kovalenko

Company Secretary

2 March 201…

Exercise 1. Answer the following questions:

1 What is an agenda?

2 How are the items arranged?

3 Who prepares the agenda?

4 Why is the agenda given to participants in advance?

5 What is included in the minutes of the meeting?

6 How is “Any other business” often written?

7 What does “Matters arising from the minutes” mean?

Exercise 2. Fill in the missing prepositions:

The agenda is a list … items …business to be dealt … … the meeting. The items are arranged … logical order. Any other business is placed … the end. Sometimes the agenda is given … participants … advance. The items are discussed … the order they appear … the agenda. Thanks … the agenda the business … the meeting is conducted effectively. … it a meeting may go … … control. The agenda is included … the minutes of the meeting

Exercise 3. Write the agenda for the next committee of a students’ organization “Young Diplomacy”.

Exercise 4. Complete each space in the text with a word formed from the words in brackets.

(Set)………………………. the agenda is one of the most (criticize) …………..parts in planning an (effect)………….meeting. The agenda sets the (toning)………… for the meeting and lets the participants know what to expect. Meeting agendas also keep your meeting on track and allow you to (accomplishment)…………….. what you need to in the (setting)…………… time frame. Set a great meeting agenda and then stick to it. Your meeting will be productive and participants will gladly attend your meetings in the future.

Exercise 5. a) Below you will read the instructions “How to Design Agendas for Successful Meetings». The paragraphs are given randomly, put them in order of priority.

B) Give the contextual synonyms or explain what the words in bold type in the instructions mean.

Instructions

ü a) Delegate parts of the meeting to different participants. One speaker can get a little boring. Ask a topic expert to run part of the meeting, but make sure they stay on topic and don't exceed their allotted time.

ü b) Set aside 10 minutes to wrap up the meeting. Summarize what was accomplished and review anything that requires follow-up. Identify the individual or group responsible for tasks resulting from the meeting.

ü c) Determine the goals for the meeting. Identify any issues that need to be resolved or takeaways that need to be delegated. Make sure your meeting has a specific purpose or set of objectives.

ü d) Break the meeting into manageable topics. This allows participants to be prepared for the subject matter. If there is only one objective to the meeting you only need one topic. Allow adequate time for each agenda item and list the time on the agenda. This will help keep the meeting from veering off track.

ü e) Determine participants. Based on the meeting's list of objectives, determine which people need to be involved.

ü f) Set aside five minutes at the beginning of the meeting for introductions and an overview of the meeting's goals and objectives.

1-(___)

2-(___)

3-(___)

4-(___)

5-(___)

6-(___)

A topic expert __________________________________________________

Allotted time____________________________________________________

To wrap up_____________________________________________________

Follow-up______________________________________________________

Takeaways_____________________________________________________

Manageable____________________________________________________

Veering off track________________________________________________

An overview____________________________________________________

Exercise 6. Do at sight translation of the following text.

Що потрібно зробити ДО зборів?

-Виділіть декілька видів зборів, які будете проводити регулярно. Визначте їх регламент і проводите за розкладом. Поки Ви не будете збиратися регулярно, Ваша фірма не буде розвиватися. Раптові зборі викликають зайві розмови, неспокій, а іноді - страх Співробітників. Організовуйте такі збори вкрай рідко, тільки у випадку «пожежі». На екстрених зборах розбирайте тільки одне питання. Екстрені збори повинні бути короткими (прагніть укластися максимум в 45 хвилин, навіть якщо треба вирішити складний і важкий питання). Чітко сформулюйте і повідомте заздалегідь: мета зборів, учасників, час з... до..., місце. Нехай Ваші Співробітники не збираються без потреби, а спокійно займаються своєю основною справою, а саме - заробляють гроші.

Вкрай складно готуватися до кожних зборів. Тому оптимально задати один раз Регламент зборів, в якому ви пропишіть всі важливі аспекти: регулярність зборів (щомісячне / щотижневе / щоденне), час і місце проведення зборів, учасники, питання до зборів. Тепер Вам треба готувати не збори, а тільки інформацію по кожному питанню. «Пережовування» всім відомої інформації-це те, що викликає загальне невдоволення Учасників - кожен цінує свій час. Розглядайте тільки насущні питання.Не повторюйте себе - робіть узагальнення, посилання. Все, що можна, перенесіть на дошку в наочному вигляді - таблиці, графіки. Тоді не треба буде зачитувати, відразу можна переходити до аналізу. Крім того, за деякими оцінками, до 55% людей - візуали, і на слух сприймають нову інформацію погано - не більше 7%...

Створіть форму Звіту, по якій буде доповідати кожен. По-перше, кожен буде знати, що конкретно він має сказати і підготує цифри заздалегідь. По-друге, цей звіт можуть побачити до зборів інші Учасники і сам Керівник, а значить підготуватися до зборів і зробити аналіз інформації, висновки, продумати рішення. По-третє, інформація залишиться для історії / статистики, що для бізнесу -неоціненно.

З питань, які не відносяться до регулярних, готуйте інформацію окремо. Продумуйте ретельно, що Ви хочете добитися з кожного питання і як конкретно Ви це зробите. По можливості, проговорите текст самі собі чи комусь ще. Прибирайте зайві слова. Говоріть чітко і просто.. Готуйтеся кожен раз - це заощадить Ваш час і час Учасників. Продумуйте ретельно, чого Ви хочете добитися з кожного питання і як конкретно Ви це зробите. По можливості, проговорите текст самі собі чи комусь ще. Прибирайте зайві слова. Говоріть чітко і просто.. Готуйтеся кожен раз - це заощадить Ваш час і час Учасників.

J Business Mix

Slang and idioms

I. a) Read the dialogues “overheard” during and after the meetings. Translate them.

B) Work in pairs. Rephrase the dialogues.

C) Work in groups. Continue the dialogue and make a longer conversation.

1)

- I hear there’s a confab tomorrow and you’re going to chair it?

- Yes, by the way, why don’t you sit in on the meeting, as part of your research?

2)

- Can we start, then, with an item one?

- If I could just come in here …

3)

- How are we doing for time?

- Well, if you have anything more to say, please cut it short as your time is nearly up.

4)

- Sorry to butt in, but we differ on this point, I think we should be careful not to take a short-sighted view on that as so much depends on it.

- I see your point, but I still think that …

II. Study business idioms and use them in the sentences of your own

plug-and-play (employee or device) про співробітника, який зразу може приступати до роботи, оскільки йому не потрібно додаткове навчання; в технічній сфері про прилад, який готовий для використання, оскільки не потребує додаткового настроювання.

Example: All employers like the plug and play employee.

2. cut-throat (business, competition) прикметник, який має значення жорстокий, нещадний і може описувати в діловій мові високо конкурентне середовище, бізнес, галузь і т.д.

Example: Investment banking is a cut-throat business.

3. rat race висловлювання,що означає безглузде заняття, неприємний та метушливий спосіб життя, який ведуть люди, що конкурують з іншими за гроші, владу чи статус, так звані «мишачі перегони»

Example: John decided to get out of the rat race. He quit his job, moved to the country and become an artist.

4. to be at the top of one’s agenda бути чимось важливим, пріоритетним

Example: Achieving long-term success is at the top of our agenda.

5. be in the red/black з прикметником black це має значення «бути прибутковим»; з прикметником red – «бути збитковим»

Example: After two years of losses, the organization was finally in the black again. /Currently the company is in the red by $1.7 million.

6. keep track стежити за кимсь, чимось

Example :Have you been keeping track of the time?

7. lose track втрачати слід, відчуття часу

Example :He soon lost track of how much money he had spent.

8. get off the track відволікатися від теми, про яку йде мова

Example: He can't tell a story without getting off the track.

III. Fill in the gaps with an appropriate idiom.

1. Unfortunately, my bank account was again _ ___________ _.

2. For many companies sustainability nowadays ____________.

3. In this world of __________ competition one of the most important aspects in business is marketing.

4. While the organizers did their best _____________ of all those who attended the conference, the list below is not complete.

5. The social media ________ causes a lot of social marketing burnout.

6. What he was saying was so complicated that I ____________ after the first couple of sentences.

7. Bob Merritt describes the attitude he gets now from the company: "We want our airplanes to be______________plug and play, we want our workers to be_____________."

8. I think we’re _______________________ here – we’re supposed to be discussing our advertising campaign.

Talking points

I. Why an agenda is important. Consider the following items, expand them:

ü designed to enable all important and relevant points to be dealt with in good order and good time

ü a form of courtesy

ü enables participants to make a meaningful contribution

ü provides a logical guide for business and discussion

ü brings harmony and efficiency to a meeting

ü helps restrain participants from speaking out of turn

II. Imagine a formal meeting without an agenda. What could happen? Make a list of six possible situations or outcomes. Compare your list with others you find there. Did others identify similar problems?

III. Discuss the following quotations:

1) “A meeting moves at the speed of the slowest mind in the room” (Dale Dauten)

2) “A meeting is an event where minutes are taken and hours wasted” (James T.Kirk)

3) “I think there needs to be a meeting to set an agenda for more meetings about meetings”(Jonah Goldberg)

1.3. HOW TO CHAIR A MEETING

Starting up

What makes an effective chairperson? Consider the factors below and place them in order of priority. Explain your reasons.

• Take time to prepare for meetings

• Conduct meetings in a business-like manner, keeping to time and following the agenda

• Allow all members the opportunity to voice their opinions

• Summarise all discussion and debates before making any decisions

• Ensure that decisions are accurately made and recorded

• Uphold the organisation’s rules as written in its governing document

• Promote and represent the organisation to others

• Resolve conflicts by discussion and clarification

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