Preparation is crucial when attending meetings. Make sure you read all meeting papers carefully. Seek out additional information if anything is not clear. The Secretariat or Committee Chair may be able to clarify any concerns you have and provide you with additional information.

Set your goals for the meeting

Set short term goals for each meeting. These short term goals may be steps towards your long term goals.

Your short term goals may include ensuring that:

• A certain point is understood, and agreed
• A certain question is included in a planned survey
• A certain issue is raised
• An issue is clarified or
• An item in the minutes is corrected.

Tackle any achievable goals early on because this will give you experience and confidence.

It's a good idea to write down your short term goals as this will help you to refer back to them and use them as a guide to evaluate your achievements.