Chairing Meetings: Introduction & Structuring the Agenda

Many of my students have told me that they find it difficult to know what to say to lead or structure meetings in English. This blog post looks at a video that gives a really good demonstration of somebody chairing a meeting and breaks down some of the main language used in it, which can then be readily incorporated into your own professional lives.

Firstly, watch the video below, and while watching, focus on the way the Chair moves between the different topics, and how they deal with timekeeping, as well as the role that he has in the meeting.

Now, lets have a look at some of the language used and why it works.

1. Structuring the Meeting

The chair uses a lot of signposting language — phrases that guide participants through the stages of the meeting. These markers help everyone follow the flow easily.

Examples:

• “Before we get started, could we do a quick round of introductions…”

  → Signals the start of the meeting and the first activity.

• → The polite modal “could we” softens the instruction and creates a collaborative tone.

  
  

• “Okay, I want to spend a little bit of time just going through and reiterating some of the key points about the process today…”

  → Transitional phrase moving from introductions to outlining the agenda.

  → “Okay” marks a shift; “a little bit of time” makes it sound brief and manageable.

  
  

• “Once I’ve finished talking, I’m going to invite the claimant to talk…”

  → Uses future tense with “going to” to explain sequence and expectations.

  → Makes the process predictable and transparent.

  
  

• “Then we’ll jump into a fairly exploratory conversation…”

  → Informal but natural — “jump into” signals a transition to discussion

  → “Fairly exploratory” sets expectations that this will be open and flexible.

  
  

• “We’ve got until 5:30, which I think is plenty of time…”

  → Manages time expectations and reassures participants.

  
  

• “We’ll meet all together like this; we might meet separately…”

  → Explains possible formats. The repetition of “we’ll” / “we might” gives a clear procedural outline.

We often use simple, natural signposting and sequencing phrases — “before we start,” “once I’ve finished,” “then we’ll…” — to make spoken structure explicit. These phrases make speech clear and easy to follow without sounding overly formal.

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💬 2. Describing the Topics and Process

The chair uses language that is procedural, neutral, and facilitative. He introduces each topic with brief explanation and purpose.

Examples:

• “I want to spend a little bit of time… going through the key points about the process today and also my role.”

  → Preview of upcoming topics: process and role — like a mini agenda.

  
  

• “Just a little bit about the process…”

  → Signals a subtopic. “Just a little bit” keeps it conversational and non-intimidating.

  
  

• “We’ll jump into a fairly exploratory conversation.”

  → Describes an open, non-scripted discussion. “Exploratory” adds a collaborative tone.

  
  

• “It’s a very flexible process today…”

  → Explains expectations and sets the tone for participation.

  
  

• “It’s a confidential process… there’s a layer of confidentiality that wraps all our conversations.”

  → Uses metaphor (“wraps”) to make abstract rules sound clear and approachable.

Notice the repetition of key words like process, conversation, and agreement. Repetition reinforces clarity and helps non-native participants understand structure. He also uses softeners (“a little bit,” “I think,” “my expectation is…”) — this maintains politeness and avoids sounding authoritarian.

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🧑‍⚖️ 3. Describing His Role

The chair clearly defines his role as mediator using balanced, neutral language — describing both what he will and won’t do.

Examples:

• “My role today here is just to help you have a super productive conversation — that’s my goal.”

  → Simple, positive phrasing. “Just to help” minimizes hierarchy and promotes equality.

  
  

• “There are things that I’ll be doing to assist you in that…”

  → Uses verbs like help, assist, summarise, listen — all collaborative and supportive.

  
  

• “What I won’t be doing is judging you…”

  → Parallel structure: contrasts his supportive role with what he avoids (judgment).→ Repeated “I won’t be…” provides rhythm and emphasis.

  
  

• “My job is to help you have a good-quality conversation to work toward an agreement…”

  → Restates his role in outcome-focused but neutral terms.

The chair uses balanced, reassuring language:

• Positive: help, assist, support, summarize, listen

• Negative (to clarify boundaries): I won’t be judging, I won’t be making judgments

This dual approach builds trust and clarity of purpose — a hallmark of professional English communication.

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4. Tone and Style

• Warm and inclusive: Uses we frequently (“we’ll meet,” “we’ve got,” “we’ll see where we go”).

• Non-confrontational: Uses modals and hedging — could we, I think, I want to, my expectation is…

• Encouraging: Phrases like “I’m hopeful,” “you’re free to leave,” “we can often work through those things” project optimism and flexibility.

In meetings, native speakers often soften authority through collaborative language and inclusive pronouns, which helps maintain a respectful, cooperative atmosphere.

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Beyond knowing these phrases, practicing using them is the best way to develop a natural ability to use them confidently and effectively.

If this is something you’d like to improve, get in touch — I’d love to help you feel more confident running meetings in English.