Unit 3  Leading the way – effective chairing

Introduction

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A modern office or collaborative workspace where a group of people is engaged in a hybrid meeting. Several individuals are seated on chairs and stools in a semi-circle, facing two large display screens mounted on wooden stands. Each screen shows a person participating remotely via video call. A person seated between the two screens appears to be facilitating the session, gesturing toward one of the screens.

In Unit 2 ‘Being a participant’, you looked at how to be an effective participant in online meetings. In this unit you will learn about how to be an effective chair and discover ways to promote inclusivity and fairness in online meetings, ensuring the views of all are heard and respected. At the same time, you will consider how some chairing styles get in the way of inclusive practice.

As with the other units, you will extend your understanding of the Social Identity Wheel by thinking about it within the context of chairing.

  Learning outcomes

 

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:

 

  • Differentiate between effective and ineffective chairing practices.

  • Compare and contrast different chairing styles, i.e. participative and directive leadership styles.

  • Discuss how social identity influences meeting dynamics and participant responses to the chair.

  • Identify chairing practices that encourage and hinder inclusive participation within online meetings.

  • Implement chairing practices that promote inclusivity within online meetings.

 

Welcome from the Unit 3 authors

Listen to the unit authors introducing themselves and sharing what they enjoyed most about the GEiO research project.

Note: In the audios below the authors speak in their first language. The transcript has been translated into English.

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Transcript

Antonia Heil

ANTONIA HEIL
Welcome to Session 3: ‘Leading the way – effective chairing’ or in German: ‘Die Richtung weisen – effektive Moderation’. My name is Antonia Heil, and together with Alison Davies, I am the co-author of this session.

Alison Davies

ALISON DAVIES
Welcome to Session 3: leading the way – effective chairing. My name is Alison Davies and I am the co-author of this session with Antonia Heil.

Alison Davies and Antonia Heil

ALISON DAVIES/ANTONIA HEIL
Think back to an online meeting you’ve attended that felt particularly effective or inclusive. What did the chair do that helped make that happen?
Was it something they said, how they managed time, or how they encouraged participation? Perhaps they used your name, invited you to speak or something else.
Now recall a meeting where you felt frustrated or excluded. What chairing behaviours contributed to that experience? Did the chair dominate the conversation, ignore quieter voices, or fail to set clear expectations?
In this session, we will be considering these questions. We will explore the role of the chair in online meetings, focusing on how leadership styles and social identities influence inclusivity and participation.
We will look at the difference between participative and directive chairing approaches and highlight the impact of inclusive practices on meeting dynamics.
Drawing on existing research, we will invite you to take part in reflective activities and consider how social identity, intersectionality, and inclusive language shape both the experience and performance of chairs and participants.
The session concludes with practical guidance for encouraging equitable, respectful, and productive online meetings.
We hope you enjoy the session and the exercises.
End transcript
 
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1  Introducing the chair