Tasks and Roles of Chairpersons and Members

The Role of a Chairperson

The chairperson plays a key role on any voluntary management committee. Below are summarised some of the key qualities, skills and knowledge that help to be a good chairman

A good chairperson will:

speak clearly and succinctly;
be sensitive to the feelings of members;
be impartial and objective;
start and fi nish on time;
be approachable;
anounching they active agenda
list active commitee members
have an understanding of the voluntary and community sector;
be tactful;
have knowledge of the organisation‘s key networks;
be able to delegate;

be a good strategist;
be a strong networker;
be good at team building;
consider succession planning across the board;
plan for skills development of themselves and the committee;
have experience of management committee involvement;
show interest in member‘s viewpoints;
have sound knowledge of the organisation‘s work;
have an ability to respect confi dences; and
ensure decisions are taken and recorded.

When discussion is underway, it is the chairperson‘s responsibility to ensure that it continues to fl ow smoothly by involving all members present and by not permitting one or two people to dominate the meeting. Summarising by the chairperson during meetings can:

Indicate progress, or lack of.
Refocus discussion that has wandered off the point.
Conclude one point and lead into the next.

Highlight important points.
Clarify any misunderstanding.

At the end of a meeting, the chairperson should remind members what they have achieved and thank them for their contributions. Finally, the time and date of the next meeting should be arranged.

Do‘s and Dont‘s of a Chairperson


A good Chairperson will:	A good Chairperson will not:
Make all members feel valued Strive for consensus, using his/her casting vote sparingly Listen to others Encourage new faces onto committee Plan for the future Make new members feel welcome Allow others to take responsibility Keep calm Know when to stand down	Be the person who talks most at the meetings Make all the decisions Allow one or two people to dominate meetings Cut people out of discussions Allow meetings to become unproductive Make people feel foolish or useless Force people to contribute to discussions Lose his/her temper Stay too long

The Role of a Committee Member

While it is the role of the chairperson to run the meeting, the participation of all members is also fundamental to the success of the meeting.

To ensure an effective meeting, all participants should:

Undertake any necessary preparation prior to the meeting.
login on time.
Keep an open mind.
Listen to the opinions of others.
Participate.
Avoid dominating the proceedings.
Avoid confl ict situations.
Avoid side conversations which distract others.
Ask questions to clarify understanding.
Note down any action agreed upon.

After the meeting, undertake any agreed action and brief others as appropriate.
Should be appointed because they are knowledgeable about or interested in the committee‘s area of activity.
Should know who the committee chairman is.
Should know what the specifi c responsibilities of the committee are.
Should establish only realistic attainable goals.
Should give recognition to the committee chairman and other members of the committee.
Should get involved and participate.

Committee Participation

Committee members are asked to:

Study the meeting agenda carefully before coming to the committee meeting and ask for clarification if any items are unclear. Review the supporting material.
Stick to the agenda during the meeting. Bring up new business only at the appropriate time.
Determine in advance how and what they will contribute to the committee meeting.
Keep replies short and to the point. Seek information, do not deliver an oration.
Speak in a voice everyone can hear. Wait until one has the attention of all the committee members before speaking. The Committee Chair should ensure you the floor.
Repeat remarks if you think they weren‘t heard.
Sum up remarks of a lengthy discussion. Someone may have forgotten your objective before you‘ve finished.
Don‘t hesitate to comment, criticize constructively, or disagree.
Know your subject and ask for support from members who believe as you do.

Make your comments at the proper time, if you disagree with the speaker.
Ask for the floor rather than joining in an aimless group discussion if you have a comment. If what you have to say is a genuine contribution and really does make a difference, don‘t let it get lost in confused conversation.
Ask dissenters to summarize their convictions in a direct statement. This permits a more thorough examination of an idea that could be highly constructive when completely understood.
Not hurriedly pass motions as they usually don‘t receive the consideration they deserve. Better to table them until the next meeting, when they can be discussed in detail than to pass a motion you might regret later.

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