Questions

Provide answers to all the questions below:

Jane is attending a meeting where she knows that several of the people attending will be from culturally
diverse backgrounds. Identify four culturally appropriate communication techniques that Jane can
use at the meeting.
Response may include:
Avoid use of slang that someone from another culture may not understand.
Speak clearly and concisely. This does not mean speaking slowly or shouting, rather sound words
out properly and breaking information into small chunks if needed.
Use visual aids. Supplementary information can be used to assist with understanding information, for
example, charts or graphs.
Check for understanding. If you Jane is not sure if the message has been understood, she should
check that the person has understood by asking them to confirm what they have heard.
Be mindful of differences in interpretation of non-verbal communication e.g., personal space, eye
contact.

Explain the purpose of an agenda and list five items that should be included in an agenda.
Response should broadly cover the following:
The purpose of an agenda is to provide a plan for the meeting to ensure objectives are met. Meeting
participants use the agenda to guide discussions and prepare discussion points in advance.
Response should also include at least five of the following:
Date
Start and finish times
Location
Welcome/introduction
Purpose of meeting
Items for discussion
Acceptance of previous minutes

Explain the purpose of meeting minutes and list five items that should be included in meeting minutes.
Response should broadly cover the following:
The purpose of meeting minutes is to ensure that there is a true and accurate record of the meeting
and to ensure that agreed outcomes are followed. It documents what was discussed and the action
items and agreed timelines for future reference.
 Response should include the following:
Date and time of the meeting
Names of meeting participants and those unable to attend
Acceptance of previous meeting minutes (if applicable)
Decisions made about each agenda item
Next meeting date and time

Explain the difference between informal meeting minutes and formal meeting minutes.
Response should broadly cover the following:
Informal: This might be no more than a bulleted list of points, a table with boxes to record deadlines,
or a checklist of topics.
Formal: A document of several pages, with headings and sub-headings, and maybe numbered
points. These might provide a record of the discussion in summarized form, along with named
individuals given specific responsibilities, plus any deadlines for action.

Some companies may have a requirement for a quorum for a meeting. Explain the term quorum and give
an example of a quorum to illustrate your answer.
Response should broadly cover the following:
A quorum is the smallest number of members who must be present to constitute a valid meeting.
This number is usually stated in the organisation’s constitution or if not, common law quorum of more
than half the members present applies. Thus, if the membership of a group is 6, then 3 must attend
for it to be a quorum.

Discuss the requirements for notice periods for formal and informal meetings (including any legislative
requirements).
Response should broadly cover the following:
The requirements for giving notice of a meeting varies between formal and informal meetings. Some
notice periods are legislated, and others are best practice.
For example, in some cases, if a formal meeting is being conducted then it is required to give “due
notice” or “notice of meeting”. Without “due notice” the meeting may be legally “null and void”. In this
case, legislation will determine the notice, information that is required to be provided, Agenda,
participants required, timeframe for notice of meetings. In some cases, a formal Notice will be served
on a person who is required to attend a meeting by law. In this instance, a specified notice period is
legislated, and an official receipt of service will be required to be obtained upon service.
Even when a notice period is not legislated, it is a good idea to provide participants with notice of
meeting arrangements in advance as far as practicable. This is beneficial for both parties in allowing
each other to be properly organised. The more organised all participants are, the more likely it is that
a constructive outcome will be received.
What is meant by the term “meeting resolution”? How should meeting resolutions be managed?
Student responses may include, but is not limited to:
A meeting resolution is the outcome of any decisions made at a meeting. It is important that this
information, together with the minutes of the meeting (resolutions should be recorded within
minutes), are accepted, and endorsed by meeting participants, and then stored appropriately for any
future reference.

You are reviewing your organisation’s policy and procedures for meetings. Discuss what you should
consider when updating the requirements for naming and storing meeting documents. Provide an
example to support your answer.
Student responses may include, but is not limited to:
Depending on the industry you work in, and the classification of the information you are dealing with,
there are specific timeframes that state how long records must be kept for. It is important to be aware
of these timeframes. However, if information can be stored easily and conveniently, it may be
beneficial to the business for the Minutes to be stored for longer than this time.
To ensure that the Minutes can be retrieved easily later, it is a good idea to have a consistent naming
convention and one that makes sense for the content. For example, “Minutes - Finance AGM -
January 2020” is more informative than “Finance Minutes”. The first naming convention also allows
for a standardised format, for example, “Agenda – HR Performance Agreement Policy Review –
February 2020”. When deciding on the naming convention, the trick is to consider what people will
search for when trying to find a particular piece of information.