People are complex

Participants come together in meetings to share information and make decisions. How well this is done depends on the interplay of a range of factors. People are complex and their behaviours in groups can be unpredictable. To be effective in the role of Chair, it is useful to learn about how people work and communicate.

Non-verbal language

The Chair needs to be alert to more than what is said in a meeting. Non-verbal language is very important. Our true feelings often surface in non-verbal behaviours. The astute Chair 'reads' the entire picture and may be able to seek fuller explanation or expose reservations with the aim of reaching quality decisions.

Non-verbal languageNon-verbal language includes attending behaviours such as:

where participants sit

who they sit with and who they avoid

how they sit (posture)

eye contact

gestures

fidgeting

wandering eyes

yawning

repeatedly glancing at the time

frowns

scowls

grimaces

shuffling feet

throat clearing.

GEOFF: That software's really expensive – they could have used something that cost half that price. That's typical. Her department always gets what they want, but when I need an extra casual staff member, you'd think the sky was falling. It makes me so mad.SOPHIA: All the software in the world is not going to fix their problem. That department is just so inflexible. They never listen to my solutions. I'm not going to bring it up again. Last time I disagreed with them, we had a huge fight.GEORGE: This meeting is just a total waste of time. Every request gets rubber stamped. I wonder if the fish are biting near the bridge. Might take the boat out later. I wonder if Peter's got some of that bait left.

The Chair must pay attention to the way things are said, including the tone, pitch and speed of the voice, and any hints of irony or sarcasm.

Read Meeting scenario in ValleyView Headquarters.

Meeting scenario At the ValleyView monthly meeting, Norta Diessen, the HR and Finance Manager, proposed allocating funds for new accounting software for her department. The Chair asked for comments before putting the proposal to the vote. There were no comments, and the proposal was accepted. But what were the participants really thinking?GEOFF: That software's really expensive — they could have used something that cost half that price. That's typical. Her department always gets what they want, but when I need an extra casual staff member, you'd think the sky was falling. It makes me so mad.SOPHIA: All the software in the world is not going to fix their problem. That department is just so inflexible. They never listen to my solutions. I'm not going to bring it up again. Last time I disagreed with them, we had a huge fight. GEORGE: This meeting is just a total waste of time. Every request gets rubber stamped. I wonder if the fish are biting near the bridge. Might take the boat out later. I wonder if Peter's got some of that bait left.

Describe the non-verbal clues given by the participants and how these might be interpreted.

As Chair, how would you encourage the participants to say exactly what was on their mind?

You may wish to refer to some of the material listed in the ValleyView Intranet or Library.

Submit your response to the ValleyView Meeting room, under the topic Non-verbal clues, and ask for comments to be posted back. Make sure you respond to at least one other posting.

Use the menu below to continue.

Meetings in progress

123456789101112131415161718