Meetings - Agenda Setting

Introduction

This module focuses on the language of meetings, which are central to business communication. Most meetings have an agenda - a list of matters to be discussed in the meeting. When you decide what to talk about in the meeting, you 'set the agenda'. The person in charge of the setting the agenda and running the meeting is the 'chairperson'.

Think

Imagine that you are the chairperson in a meeting. It is the start of the meeting and you are telling your colleagues about the items on the agenda. What phrases might you use?

Listen

Now you're going to listen to two audio clips about setting agendas for meetings. Both clips are from the start of meetings and feature a chairperson listing the points on the agenda. As you listen, see if you can hear some of the phrases above.

Download the audio

Check understanding

Check your understanding by reading the scripts below:

Clip 1
Sarah:	Right then, Alex, let's get down to business. On the agenda today for our public relations meeting are the research project, the launch of the website, the timeline for press releases, and the executary of the year award. Are you quite happy with those points?
Alex:	Yeah, that's fine. If you could go through them in order, that'd be great.
Clip 2
Alex:	OK everybody, thanks for coming. Let's keep this meeting fairly brief, really just a couple of things on the agenda. First of all, as you can see, the news on the book re-launch; and secondly, the office move; and finally, we'll have a little bit of time for any other business.

Download the script

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/business/talkingbusiness/unit2meetings/1agenda.shtml

Quiz

Instructions: Write the sentences below in the correct sequence so they all make sense. 

Secondly we want to have a look at the production budgets.

And then we’ll see if there’s any other business.

OK, everybody thank you all very much for coming today.

If we could go through each of them in order.

And finally we need to look at the staffing levels for the project.

Just three things on the agenda today.

First of all we need to discuss our aims for the project.

Right let’s start with item number one. 

Answer

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/business/talkingbusiness/unit2meetings/1agenda_quiz_alt.html

Go to lesson 02 - Interruptions