EQUALITY GUIdE - KU Leuven

Chapter 4 ! Scientific communication 217
impact’, ‘I have problems with my voice, I get nervous’, ‘what if the chairperson is not
recognized?’, ‘the type of meeting should always be announced in the agenda’.
4.1.4.2. Meeting culture
Each culture has its own meeting habits. In America and the Netherlands for example,
you cannot speak about the meeting during the break. In Belgium, there is no such
rule. You have to pay attention to new alliances, which can be set up during the break.
There is also a difference between men and women. Women do not tend to discuss the
meeting during the break. They rather talk about private matters.
In Europe, it is not unusual for people to interrupt others in a conversation. It is even
accepted. In Asia or America for example, that is not the case. Another example:
women sometimes come up with emotional arguments. A good chairperson has to be
able to objectify these judgements. Likewise, he or she must not hesitate to ask men,
who in general have a more objective approach, how they feel about certain things.
4.1.4.3. Voice
A high voice during a meeting reveals agitation and dissatisfaction. Your voice is the
echo of your heart. If you feel agitated or if you want to persuade people, talk slowly
and quietly.
4.1.4.4. Meeting roles
A meeting is a democratic event: everyone has an equal part in it. The chairperson,
however, is and remains the chairperson. He/she must have attention for the process,
for the set-up and the aim of the meeting. Always respect the chairperson in his or her
role. In case of negative behaviour or extreme disinterest, the chairperson can exclude
you from the meeting. As a chairperson, you can also expect the participants to be
prepared. To stimulate this, you can for example ask someone to summarize a note at
the beginning of a meeting.
Exercise
The group is split up in small groups with one chairperson in each group. Each participant gets
a card with a description of a certain ‘meeting role’. The participants have a meeting and are
told to solve the problem or to counteract the process. Some typical roles are:
! the apathetic: just wants to have a rest, meetings are a waste of time to him/her;
! the joker: wants to make everyone laugh;
! the chatterbox: talks the whole time;
! the dominant: never stops peddling his/her opinions and points of view, problematic if the
chairperson is like this;
! the uncertain: wants to cooperate, but is afraid for responses. With a little push, you can
involve someone like this in a positive way in the meeting.
And then there are the bulldozer, the weak, the rebel, the echoer, the negativist, the strapper ...