COURSE OVERVIEW:

Welcome to the Prepare & Chair Successful Business Meetings course. This program equips you with the leadership techniques, organisational processes, and communication skills required to run meetings that are purposeful, efficient, and outcome-driven. You will explore the essential responsibilities of a meeting chair, how to structure meetings for clarity and productivity, and how to guide participants through discussions that are logical, respectful, and aligned with organisational goals. This course also examines the behavioural dynamics of groups, the mechanics of formal meeting procedure, and the practical steps necessary to prepare venues, agendas, and participants for success.

This course begins by examining the importance of chairing a business meeting and how to identify the purpose of a meeting. You will explore how to cost your meeting, determine whether it is necessary, and clarify objectives so that each gathering has direction and measurable intent. This section also examines the four primary reasons meetings are called: to exchange and evaluate information, to solve problems, to inspire, and to resolve conflict. You will explore why business meetings often fail and the golden rules that support effectiveness, including understanding who will attend, the different roles participants hold, and how groups function during meetings. You will also learn how to identify signs of participant withdrawal and how to apply points of order during formal meetings.

The next learning area focuses on agenda preparation and administrative coordination. You will explore what belongs on the meeting agenda, how to use it fully, and how to structure and assemble it properly. This section examines the essential contents of the agenda, how to liaise effectively with the meeting administrator, and why “any other business” should be avoided unless explicitly planned. You will also explore how to choose the meeting location, prepare the venue, arrange furniture, plan the room layout, and decide on the equipment required to support productive conversation and decision-making.

A further part of the program examines how to chair the meeting confidently and constructively. You will explore how to establish your leadership style, how to open the meeting effectively, and the importance of adversarial thinking—challenging ideas, not people—so the discussion remains rigorous and objective. This section covers how to improve the quality of conversation, how to manage the flow of contributions, and how to maintain control while encouraging balanced participation. You will also examine the ten commandments of effective listening and how they help you understand viewpoints, reduce misunderstanding, and guide the meeting toward clarity.

The final learning area focuses on closing the meeting and ensuring follow-through. You will explore how to summarise decisions, confirm responsibilities, and establish next steps. This section reinforces the importance of structured closure, ensuring that outcomes are understood and actions are documented so progress continues after the meeting is adjourned.

By the end of this course you will be able to prepare and chair business meetings with confidence, create purposeful agendas, guide discussions expertly, manage group dynamics, and close meetings in ways that promote accountability, clarity, and effective organisational action.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this course, you will be able to understand:

• The importance of chairing a business meeting
• How to identify the purpose of the meeting?
• The costing of your meeting
• If your meeting is necessary or not?
• How to clarify the meeting objectives?
• Calling a meeting to exchange and evaluate information
• Calling a meeting to solve problems
• Calling a meeting to inspire
• Calling a meeting to resolve conflict
• Why business meetings fail?
• The golden rules of effective meetings
• Who is attending the meeting?
• The different roles in business meetings
• How groups work in meeting?
• The different signs of participants’ withdrawal
• The points of order you should consider for formal meetings?
• What’s on the meeting agenda?
• How to make full use of the agenda?
• The contents of the agenda
• How to construct and assemble the meeting agenda?
• How to liaise with the meeting’s administrator?
• How and why you should avoid ‘any other business’ – not on the agenda - during a meeting?
• How to decide on where the meeting is being held?
• How to prepare the venue?
• How to mind the furniture?
• How to plan the room layout?
• How to decide on the equipment for the meeting?
• How to chair your meeting?
• How to establish your style to lead?
• How to open the meeting?
• The importance of adversarial thinking while chairing a meeting
• How to improve the quality of the conversation during the meeting?
• The ten commandments of effective listening?
• How to successfully close the business meeting?

COURSE DURATION:

The typical duration of this course is approximately 2-3 hours to complete. Your enrolment is Valid for 12 Months. Start anytime and study at your own pace.

ASSESSMENT:

A simple 10-question true or false quiz with Unlimited Submission Attempts.

CERTIFICATION:

Upon course completion, you will receive a customised digital “Certificate of Completion”.