Lead meetings Legacy

This standard is about leading meetings in order to achieve their objectives. This standard is for hospitality team leaders, first line managers or supervisors.

You may have called a meeting or you could be chairing a meeting called by someone else. The meeting could be to solve problems, take decisions, consult with people or exchange information and knowledge.

Whatever the reason for holding a meeting, preparation is key. This starts with establishing the purpose and objectives of the meeting, inviting participants and ensuring they are briefed as to the importance of the meeting, their respective roles and any preparation they need to do.

Once underway, as the lead role, your task is to keep the meeting on track and on time, ensuring those who need to have every chance to input and managing any unhelpful comments or contributions.

This standard covers the activity of leading a meeting, from establishing the purpose through to summarising and clarifying any action points and outcomes.

When you have completed this standard you will be able to demonstrate your understanding of and your ability to:

• ​​​Lead meetings

1. Establish the purpose and objectives of the meeting and confirm that a meeting is the best way to achieve these objectives
2. Prepare carefully how you will lead the meeting and identify who needs to participate
3. Invite participants, giving them sufficient notice to enable them to attend and stating the importance of the meeting, the role they will be expected to play and the preparation they need to do
4. Circulate the relevant information in advance and, if required, brief participants individually on the content and purpose of the meeting and their roles
5. Set a fixed time for the meeting to begin and end and allocate the time appropriately for each agenda item
6. State the purpose of the meeting at the start and check that all participants understand why they are present
7. Clarify specific objectives at the beginning of each agenda item
8. Encourage all participants to make clear, concise and constructive contributions from their perspectives, whilst acknowledging and building on the contributions of other participants
9. Discourage unhelpful comments and digressions, refocusing attention on the objectives of the meeting
10. Manage time flexibly; giving more time to particular agenda items, if necessary, whilst ensuring key objectives are met and participants are kept informed of changes in the agenda
11. Summarise the discussion at appropriate times and allocate action points to participants at the end of each agenda item
12. Take decisions within the meetings authority, remit or terms of reference
13. Observe any formal procedures or standing orders that apply to the meeting
14. Check that decisions and action points are accurately recorded and promptly communicated to those who need to know

1. ​The importance of establishing the purpose and objectives of the meeting and how to do so
2. The importance of confirming a meeting is the best way to achieve these objectives
3. The importance of preparing how you will lead the meeting and how to do so
4. How to identify who needs to participate in the meeting
5. The importance of inviting participants, giving them sufficient notice to enable them to attend
6. The importance of informing participants of the role they will be expected to play, the preparation they need to do and the importance of the meeting
7. How to identify relevant information participants require in advance of the meeting
8. The importance of circulating relevant information in advance and, if required, briefing participants individually on the content and purpose of the meeting and their roles
9. The importance of setting a fixed time for the meeting to begin and end and allocating time appropriately for each agenda item
10. How to allocate time appropriately for each agenda item
11. The importance of stating the purpose of the meeting at the start and checking that all participants understand why they are present
12. The importance of clarifying specific objectives at the beginning of each agenda item
13. The importance of encouraging all participants to make clear, concise and constructive contributions from their perspectives, whilst acknowledging and building on the contributions of other participants and how to do so
14. The importance of discouraging unhelpful comments and digressions, refocusing attention on the objectives of the meeting and how to do so
15. How to manage time flexibly, giving more time to particular agenda items, if necessary, whilst ensuring the key objectives are met and participants are kept informed of changes in the agenda
16. The importance of summarising the discussion at appropriate times and allocate action points to participants at the end of each agenda item and how to do so
17. The importance of taking decisions within the meetings authority, remit or terms of reference and how to do so
18. The importance of checking that decisions and action points are accurately recorded and promptly communicated to those who need to know
19. How to evaluate whether the purpose and objectives of the meeting have been achieved and how future meetings could be more effective
20. Industry/sector requirements for leading meetings
21. The people who need to participate and the roles they will be expected to play
22. The types and sources of information required in advance of the meeting
23. The meetings authority, remit or terms of reference
24. Any formal procedures or standing orders that apply to the meeting

​The following behaviours are provided as guidance to underpin effective performance of a hospitality supervisor​

1. You address multiple demands without losing focus or energy
2. You show respect for the views and actions of others
3. You present information clearly, concisely, accurately and in ways that promote understanding
4. You listen actively, ask questions, clarify points and rephrase others' statements to check mutual
5. You show integrity, fairness and consistency in decision-making
6. You make best use of existing sources of information
7. You check the validity and reliability of information
8. You present ideas and arguments convincingly and in ways that strike a chord with people
9. You articulate the assumptions made and risks involved in understanding a situation ​

​This standard has particular links to HSL1-6, & HSL24, but has potential relevance to all other standards in the Hospitality Leadership & Supervision suite of standards​