The Role of the Chairperson 

Many sports clubs are governed by voluntary members, and use committees and meetings to assist in the management of their club. This resource gives information on the structure of such committees and how to conduct meetings.

Meetings of more than two people need to have structure to ensure they are productive.  All parties must have the opportunity to contribute to the discussion and ensure all relevant agenda items are resolved. A structured meeting will ensure all parties have agreed the outcomes and are aware of any action required. In order to keep structure and progression throughout the meeting, a central figure must be appointed as chairperson.

The chairperson will normally be elected either from the entire organisation’s membership or from those who sit on the executive or management committee. In the executive role, the chairperson not only chairs the meetings but also acts as principal officer throughout the year, making decisions whenever the need arises in consultation with other committee members.

In addition to the chairperson, many clubs have a president. This is usually in a federation, which comprises of a small number of separate, self-governed clubs.  Sometimes, the same person may hold both positions of president and hairperson. The president has little or no involvement in the day-to-day affairs of the club and only attends meetings in a neutral and uncommitted capacity. This enables the group to have a discussion with an impartial person in the chair, which is particularly useful in negotiations where the chairperson acts as a conciliator between two parties trying to resolve some kind of disagreement. Of course, if the club has a separate president, then he or she may undertake these functions. The president would chair or preside at general meetings, especially the annual general meeting.

If the president chairs the general meetings, the chairperson is able to represent his or her personal views, and those of the committee. The members will feel that they have a neutral person in the chair they can trust to give them a fair hearing if they disagree with the committee.

Important issues to consider whenchairing meetings

Start meetings on time. Allowing a meeting to start late gives the impression that the business to be undertaken is not important, and inappropriate behaviour will be rewarded.  Punctual members will be kept waiting,  suggesting their time is not valuable. All these issues may result in a lack of respect for the chair and discontent among members. Do not allow the start time of the meeting to be dictated by latecomers. Ensure that, even as volunteers, such behaviour is addressed, should it happen regularly.

Indicate a finish time as well as a start time on the agenda. This acknowledges that members’ time is valuable and gives everyone an idea of how much time they should allocate to the meeting. It will also help to prevent people from rushing decisions or leaving before the end of the iscussions. The chairperson must be aware of the agenda items and roughly how long to devote to each one, thereby ensuring that all the important business is covered.

The chairperson should ensure that everybody has a reasonable opportunity to air his or her views during a debate. Care should be taken that the same point is not frequently repeated by one person, or persons, who wish to dominate the discussion.  Some people may hardly speak at all. There are a number of reasons why this could be:

They may have no interest in, or understanding of, the debate.

They may not wish to make a personal contribution, preferring to evaluate the arguments and reach their own conclusions.

They are nervous or shy.

They do not agree with the consensus view, but prefer not to say so at the meeting.

Try to involve these people, particularly if they have some specialist knowledge. They will feel you value their input, and will respect you for taking the time to ensure they understand the issue. It will also encourage them to participate and voice any opposition. Do not assume there is no opposition, just because none has been voiced.

Whenever possible, confirm a decision by common consent of the whole meeting, rather than by a majority vote. To get this consensus, round off the discussion by saying, ‘Is it agreed then…?’ or ‘I take it we are all in favour.’ Then restate the decision and wait a few seconds to give everybody a final opportunity to voice any opposition.

Decision making by consensus keeps the committee united and helps to prevent later complaints along the lines of: ‘I didn’t agree with the decision’ or ‘I didn’t get a chance to have my say.’

Meetings do not always have to be formal or take place around a table – some of the best meetings take place standing up! In this way, the meeting deals with important business and finishes promptly.