Women's World LET'S HAVE A MEETING

Te Ao Hou, Spring 1953, Page 47

Women's World Women's World LET'S HAVE A MEETING (Continued from our last number) Why is it, under some circumstances, unwise to hold a meeting today in the same way as the Maori used to do a hundred years ago? The reason is of course that there is far more happening — life is moving much faster. Although there is still, of course, a place for the traditional Maori meeting, the modern way of holding one may sometimes save much time and help to get through a big programme of work comfortably. In the last issue of Te Ao Hou we explained the importance of preparing an agenda for each meeting so that everyone knows what is to be discussed and — most important — in what order. We shall now explain the modern way of holding a meeting in some detail. In making a success of a meeting everything depends on the ‘chairwoman’. Not long ago people felt that a person presiding over a meeting should be a man, a chairman. Nowadays, however, ‘Madam Chairman’ may be heard on public platforms all over the world with the same respect as Mr Chairman. A good chairwoman must know three principal things: First, she must know the business of the meeting thoroughly. She must follow the discussion closely and grasp everything that is being said. Secondly, she must know how to control the people in front of her. Nobody may speak without her consent, she must be definite in her rulings and always in control. She must give everyone an opportunity to speak, but allow nobody to speak too much or too often. She must confine every speaker to the subject that is supposed to be discussed. While guiding the meeting, she must herself remain strictly impartial. Thirdly—and this is most important—she must know the rules of holding a meeting. These rules are of two kinds. There are the rules laid down in the constitution of her organization. She has to know these throughly of course and they may often guide her in her rulings during meetings. Then there are also the general rules that apply to any meeting at all. Such are the rules set out below.