Chairing and running meetings 

Chairing meetings efficiently without losing control is one of the things participants frequently ask to practise on the London based "Skills with People" course.  Persuading someone in a one-to-one discussion where it’s relatively easy to be open, flexible and mutually responsive is one thing, but what about chairing meetings when you need to make a presentation about something new or controversial and where if you lose control of the meeting chaos can so easily ensue? 

Attempts by those chairing meetings to keep control often lead to people being switched off, being afraid to say what they think, reacting negatively or sullenly disengaging.  These reactions are symptoms of a very common but repressive approach to chairing meetings which is often uncomfortable both for the chairman and for the meeting members alike.

To put this point more specifically, the freedom of people to express themselves is sacrificed for the sake of keeping control of the meeting.   For example, "Don't interrupt me while I make my presentation:  your questions will be dealt with later".  The assumption behind this approach is that when a meeting is noisy or difficult it's not possible for the meeting chairman simultaneously both to allow freedom of expression and also to keep control.  But that's not true – it is possible - and you can learn how to do it on the Skills with People course.

See also the Skills with People course contents