In week one of this course, the introduction to meetings, you learned vocabulary related to meetings, guidelines for successful meetings, and how to communicate in writing as you arrange a meeting and write or respond to meeting announcements. Understanding the specific terminology used in meetings helps participants follow discussions more effectively and contributes to the overall efficiency of the meeting. Using proper phrases when scheduling or announcing meetings ensures clarity and professionalism, which is especially important in a business context where misunderstandings can lead to wasted time or errors. By familiarizing yourself with these words and phrases, you build a foundation that allows you to engage more confidently and accurately in all subsequent meetings.

The second week of the course focuses on the language of meetings. We have three lessons this week. In the first lesson, we'll look at effective practices and language for leading a meeting. In lesson two, you'll learn how to participate or take part in a meeting, including how to jump into a discussion, state an opinion, and politely disagree with what someone else said. Active participation is crucial for contributing meaningfully to discussions and ensuring your viewpoints are heard. Knowing how to express agreement, disagreement, or introduce new ideas politely can help maintain a productive and respectful environment during meetings.

Nowadays, meetings involve people working in different places, so lesson three presents guidelines and language for having successful telecomprens. Remote communication introduces challenges such as delays, miscommunication, and lack of nonverbal cues. Therefore, learning the appropriate terminology and methods for virtual meetings is essential for keeping discussions effective and ensuring that all participants can contribute meaningfully regardless of their location.

Okay, let's start today's lesson. In week one, you learned about what makes a meeting successful. You also learned how to write emails to announce or set up a meeting. This week, we're going to look at the way people interact in meetings, and specifically, the role that the leader plays in the way that a meeting goes. We'll identify effective practices for leading meetings and help you to identify and use specific language to manage a meeting, to begin and end the meeting, keep the discussion on track, and involve all the participants. Paying attention to these interaction patterns helps you understand the dynamics of meetings and improve your own ability to engage constructively.

When she learned in week one of this course, we use the word chair for the head of a formal group. In a less formal situation, we just use the word leader or lead, like a team leader or a project leader for the person who runs the meeting. We can also use the word lead as a verb. In any case, the meeting leader is the one who's responsible for what happens in the meeting. Now, you're going to watch two examples of a meeting. The people in this meeting work for Rear Chocolate Senceattle. As you watch, think about these questions. What happened? Did the meeting go well? Understanding the responsibilities of the leader and how they guide the meeting can provide insights into effective leadership and communication practices that can be applied in real-life professional scenarios.