Educators providing Chairing Skills courses in Belfast

Taking minutes is a much under-rated skill. It can be challenging at the best of times. So how do you do it for virtual meetings? This trainer-led session will help. It's a very practical programme which explores the issues specific to minuting on-line meetings and gives solutions to some of the trickier problems. Full of useful tips, the session will enable participants to: * Identify how to adapt their current minute-taking skills to on-line meetings * Plan and prepare for a meeting * Follow a line of discussion * Work in partnership with a remote Chair * Deal confidently with minute-taking challenges. 1 WELCOME * Programme objectives * Personal introductions 2 ADAPTING MINUTE-TAKING TO VIRTUAL MEETINGS * How is it different? * What changes in approach are needed? 3 PREPARATION * Preparing for the meeting * Technology and equipment * Dress and personal presentation * Liaising with the Chair * Practical preparation tips 4 MINUTING TIPS * Managing the 'techie' elements, eg. poor sound/visual quality * Knowing who is speaking * Following a line of discussion * What if I don't hear or understand? * Tips for producing a set of minutes 5 SESSION REVIEW * Summary, key learning points, feedback and close

Meetings are a traditional and essential component of local government. For both elected members and officers, meetings serve as a forum for discussion and agreement, planning and monitoring, communication and leadership, and decision-making. Used appropriately, meetings can challenge, inspire, illuminate and inform. And while they are not the only meetings that elected members will be asked to attend, committee meetings, in particular, are a mainstay of the political management process. Effective chairing is important because it can provide clear leadership and direction, ensure that debates are focused and balanced, enable decisions to be reached and ensure that resources are used to best effect. This two-hour 'masterclass'-style workshop will help elected members to understand their role, offer some approaches and ideas that will help to tackle typical challenges, and help to generally improve their effectiveness as a chair. * To understand the skills and qualities of a good chair * To learn ideas and approaches for chairing a successful meeting that is on time and achieves its outcomes * To understand the protocols and boundaries for appropriate meeting etiquette and the chair's role in managing this effectively * To appreciate how to manage yourself and others appropriately * To take away personal actions to apply to your role 1 WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS * Objectives * What's the challenge for you? 2 WE CAN'T GO ON MEETING LIKE THIS * Common meeting challenges for chairs and why they succeed or fail * Consequences and impact for the Council * What's the context? 3 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF AN EFFECTIVE CHAIR * Activities and input that explore the role, skills and qualities needed * Role of the chair: what is it and how to do it well 4 CHAIRING FOR SUCCESS - IDEAS AND APPROACHES TO MEET THE CHALLENGES * Managing time and boundaries * Preparation and planning * Creating the right environment * Self-management * Challenging personalities and good meeting behaviour 5 FINAL PLENARY SESSION * What's your plan? Take away actions