Chair Guide-April2017

WORLD MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
COUNCIL AND COMMITTEE CHAIR
ORIENTATION GUIDE
WMA Chairpersons Orientation Guide page 2
This booklet was developed to assist new Council and Committee Chairs to understand their
role as leaders and provide important information regarding procedures, process and products
of the WMA.
General Responsibilities
Within the Organization
The Chair and Vice-Chair of Council, the Treasurer and the President, together with
the three Committee Chairs, constitute the elected leadership of the WMA. They
work all year with the Secretary General to develop WMA’s agenda and make
decisions when the Council is not in session. Throughout the year, Chairs may be
asked to:
● Assist the Secretary General in developing meeting agendas
● Consult with the Secretary General regarding emerging issues on which the
WMA should consider taking a position or otherwise addressing publicly
(through a press release, participating in or speaking at an international
meeting, etc.).
● Make a public statement about a particular issue, based on established WMA
policy
● Assess new policy proposals to determine the best initial course of action
● Provide input on financial or administrative matters
● Collaborate with other WMA officers or National Medical Associations
(NMAs) on special projects
In addition to the specific tasks above, Council members – and Chairs in particular –
should take advantage of opportunities to promote the work of the WMA within their
own organizations and beyond. The WMA does not have a large public relations
budget or staff and depends heavily on its members, and especially its leaders, to raise
the public profile of the association. Currently, despite its 70 years of
work, the WMA is sometimes overlooked by the mainstream international health
community and is often confused with the World Health Organization – even among
physicians. Nonetheless, the WMA represents the global medical profession and the
potential power of the unified voice of millions physicians should not be
underestimated. Serving as an ambassador for WMA and working to amplify
WMA’s voice globally should be among the top priorities for WMA Council
members and officers. To that end, these individuals can:
WMA Chairpersons Orientation Guide page 3
● Actively support and distribute WMA positions and policies within their
NMAs
● Increase the visibility of WMA through
– finding opportunities to discuss the work and role of the WMA when
speaking publicly, especially to the media
– writing articles for medical journals
– encouraging colleagues to view WMA as a resource
● Bring to WMA’s attention relevant national or international issues or events so
that WMA can respond either by publicizing its existing positions or
developing a new policy.
Within the Council
The WMA Council is the governing body of the association, responsible for
developing policy, setting organizational priorities and goals and overseeing financial
and administrative functions. During meetings, the key official functions of the
Chairs are to:
● Conduct the business of their respective meetings
● Guide the pace and flow of meetings to ensure that agendas are completed
within the allotted time
● Propose working groups and/or rapporteurs to tackle specific issues or develop
revisions of documents
● Assist the Secretary General in preparing meeting reports
● Deliver the reports of their Committees to the Council (Committee Chairs
only)
Working Groups
Working groups can be used for many reasons. For instance, one might be formed to
revise a policy document (this is the most common purpose) or perhaps to analyse a
financial issue and develop recommendations. When the Council or a Committee
decides to refer a matter to a working group, it is the Chairperson of Council’s
responsibility to appoint the members and designate a leader who will coordinate the
group’s work. Participating on a working group is voluntary. Normally, the Chair
simply asks who would like to be part of the working group and those interested raise
their hands or respond verbally. In some cases, the Chair may request the
participation of certain individuals whose special skills or expertise are needed, or to
ensure specific geographic representation. Working groups are informal and are not
necessarily restricted to Council Members. Advisors and others often participate in
working groups. Sometimes it is a little more difficult to find somebody willing to
serve as coordinator, especially for working groups with a task that will take a long
WMA Chairpersons Orientation Guide page 4
time or require a lot of coordination. It is very important to ensure that a working
group has a designated leader and knows exactly what it is being asked to do.
Developing and Delivering Committee Reports
The Secretariat drafts the Committee reports. The Secretary General will confer with
the Committee Chair during the drafting process if there are questions about actions
taken by the Committee. When the report has been drafted, the Chair will have the
opportunity to review it and make any changes necessary to reflect the Committee’s
actions. Once the Chair has approved the report, it will be translated and distributed
to participants in the three official WMA languages.
The Committee Chair delivers the report orally to the Council at its closing session.
WMA Standing Committees use a “consent calendar” for their reports to the Council.
A consent calendar is a mechanism designed to eliminate time-consuming procedural
steps for approving recommendations on items in the report. Instead of addressing
these items one by one – which requires introducing the item, stating the
recommendation, inviting discussion and taking a vote, the Chair asks the committee
members if they would like to discuss or disagree with any recommendation(s) listed
in the report. Items identified for discussion or disagreement are “extracted” from the
report. All requests for extractions will be honoured. Such requests do not require a
vote. Items do not need to be identified in any order.
The Chair then asks for approval of all of the remaining recommendations in the
report (the ones that have not been extracted.) The committee votes once to approve
all of these items, without discussion.
The Chair then addresses the items that have been extracted. These subjects are dealt
with individually, in the traditional manner.
The following illustrates the operation of a consent calendar:
A report lists 10 items with recommendations. One committee member asks that
items numbered 3 and 7 be extracted. Another committee member asks that items
numbered 2 and 9 be extracted. Following these extractions, the committee votes on
accepting the remaining recommendations (on items 1, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10) as a whole.
Following that vote, the Chair then allows discussion and vote on item 2, then item 3,
then item 7 and then item 9.
Miscellaneous
Chairs may also be called upon to assist with other matters, such as helping to resolve
conflicts, working with the Public Relations Advisor, advising or assisting the
Secretary General on a variety of subjects, meeting or dining with special guests from
the host country, etc.
WMA Chairpersons Orientation Guide page 5
Specific Responsibilities of Each Chair
Chair of Council
Between Council Sessions
The Chair of Council is the most active WMA officer between Council Sessions. The
Secretary General will maintain regular contact with the Chair in order to:
● Report progress on financial, administrative and policy matters
● Seek advice and/or approval to take action on specific issues
● Request assistance in developing agendas and work plans
The Council Chair also serves on the following special committees:
➢➢ Executive Committee: This committee is an advisory committee established
to assist the Secretary General on various matters, usually that arise in
between meetings. The other members of this committee are the Vice-Chair
of Council, the Treasurer, and the Chairs of the three Standing Committees.
The President-elect, President, Immediate Past President, Legal Advisor and
the Secretary General are non-voting members of this committee.
➢➢ Sponsorship Advisory Committee: This committee was formed to assist the
Secretary General in applying guidelines for corporate relationships (grants
and sponsorships). The advisory committee must approve all grants. The other
members of this committee are the Finance and Planning Committee Chair,
the Medical Ethics Committee Chair and the Treasurer.
➢➢ CEO Review and Reimbursement Committee: This committee was formed to
review the Secretary General’s performance and recommend compensation
actions. The other members of this committee are the Vice-Chair of Council,
the Treasurer, and the Chairs of the three Standing Committees.
During Council Sessions
The Council Chair is the presiding officer of the WMA Council. He/She is
responsible for:
● Conducting the business of the meeting
● Responding to requests, concerns and suggestions of Council members (both
during and between daily sessions)
● Assisting the Secretary General in developing Council minutes
WMA Chairpersons Orientation Guide page 6
● Receiving reports from the Secretary General, Treasurer and Committee
Chairs
● Advising the Secretary General on meeting-related matters
● Appointing working groups for Council and its committees
At his or her discretion, the Chair may delegate any of these responsibilities to the
Vice-Chair.
The Chair and Vice-Chair are elected from the Council membership. They retain their
full voting rights in the Council. They are also ex-officio members of all three
Standing Committees with full voting rights.
During General Assembly Sessions
The Council Chair presides at all plenary sessions during the WMA General
Assembly. (The WMA President is responsible for all ceremonial and social sessions
and the Scientific Session.) The Chair’s responsibilities include:
● Conducting the business of the General Assembly
● Presenting the report of the Council to the General Assembly
● Conducting the election for WMA President
● Responding to requests, concerns and suggestions of delegates (both during
and between daily sessions)
Finance and Planning Committee Chair
Between Council Sessions
The Secretary General, Treasurer and Finance and Planning Committee Chair work
together throughout the year to manage fiscal matters. In general, day to day financial
issues are handled by the Secretary General and the development of the annual WMA
Financial Statement is the responsibility of the Treasurer and the Secretary General.
The main responsibility for the Finance and Planning Committee Chair when the
Council is not in session is to be available to advise and assist the Secretary General
and Treasurer. For instance, the Chair will collaborate on issues such as budgeting,
financial policies and potential conflicts of interest. The Chair usually meets with the
Secretary General and the Treasurer before each Council Session to review the
financial documents and to ensure that he or she is familiar with their contents and
any other pertinent issues related to the WMA finances.
The Finance and Planning Committee Chair also serves on the following special
committees:
WMA Chairpersons Orientation Guide page 7
➢➢ Executive Committee: This committee is an advisory committee established
to assist the Secretary General on various matters, usually that arise in
between meetings. The other members of this committee are the Vice-Chair
of Council, the Treasurer, and the Chairs of the three Standing Committees.
The President-elect, President, Immediate Past President, Legal Advisor and
the Secretary General are non-voting members of this committee.
➢➢ Sponsorship Advisory Committee: This committee was formed to assist the
Secretary General in applying guidelines for corporate relationships (grants
and sponsorships). The advisory committee must approve all grants. The other
members of this committee are the Council Chair, the Medical Ethics
Committee Chair and the Treasurer.
➢➢ CEO Review and Reimbursement Committee: This committee was formed to
review the Secretary General’s performance and recommend compensation
actions. The other members of this committee are the Chair of Council, the
Vice-Chair of Council, the Medical Ethics Committee Chair, the Socio-
Medical Committee Chair, and the Treasurer.
From time to time, the WMA will undertake a strategic planning process. This may
be done during a regular Council session or a special ad-hoc Council meeting might
be convened. Alternatively, the process may take place between Council sessions
and involve only a few selected officers or advisors who are instructed to develop
recommendations for the Council to consider. Each process is different, however the
Finance and Planning Committee Chair always plays a key role in these planning
events.
During Council Sessions
The Finance and Planning Committee Chair presides at all meetings of the Finance
and Planning Committee. He/She is responsible for:
● Conducting the business of the meeting according to the agenda
● Responding to requests, concerns and suggestions of Committee members
(both during and between daily sessions)
● Assisting the Secretary General in developing Committee reports
● Delivering the Committee report to the Council
WMA Chairpersons Orientation Guide page 8
Socio-Medical Affairs
Between Council Sessions
The Socio-Medical Affairs Committee Chair works throughout the year with the
Secretary General to develop meeting agendas, evaluate new policy proposals as they
are submitted and respond to important issues as they arise. The Chair should make
an effort to be aware of international events and emerging issues related to public
health, medical economics, and other subjects captured under the umbrella of “Socio-
Medical Affairs”.
The Chair of Council, in consultation with the Secretary General, or vice-versa, may
request the Socio-Medical Affairs Committee Chair to represent or speak for the
WMA on specific occasions. All public statements and communications made on
behalf of WMA must reflect current WMA policy and must be approved before they
are delivered. Please see the WMA Media Relations Protocol for further information
on this subject.
The Socio-Medical Affairs Committee Chair also serves on the following special
committees:
➢➢ Executive Committee: This committee is an advisory committee established
to assist the Secretary General on various matters, usually that arise in
between meetings. The other members of this committee are the Vice-Chair
of Council, the Treasurer, and the Chairs of the three Standing Committees.
The President-elect, President, Immediate Past President, legal advisor and the
Secretary General are non-voting members of this committee.
➢➢ CEO Review and Reimbursement Committee: This committee was formed to
review the Secretary General’s performance and recommend compensation
actions. The other members of this committee are the Chair of Council, the
Vice-Chair of Council, the Medical Ethics Committee Chair, the Finance and
Planning Committee Chair, and the Treasurer.
During Council Sessions
The Socio-Medical Affairs Committee Chair presides at all meetings of the Socio-
Medical Affairs Committee. He/She is responsible for:
● Conducting the business of the meeting according to the agenda
● Responding to requests, concerns and suggestions of Committee members
(both during and between daily sessions)
● Assisting the Secretary General in developing Committee reports
● Delivering the Committee report to the Council
WMA Chairpersons Orientation Guide page 9
Medical Ethics
Between Council Sessions
The Medical Ethics Committee Chair works throughout the year with the Secretary
General to develop meeting agendas, evaluate new policy proposals as they are
submitted and respond to important issues as they arise. The Chair should make an
effort to be aware of international events and emerging issues related to medical
ethics and human rights.
The Chair of Council, in consultation with the Secretary General, or vice-versa, may
request the Medical Ethics Committee Chair to represent or speak for the WMA on
specific occasions. All public statements and communications made on behalf of
WMA must reflect current WMA policy and must be approved before they are
delivered. Please see the WMA Media Relations Protocol for further information on
this subject.
The Medical Ethics Committee Chair also serves on the following special
committees:
➢➢ Executive Committee: This committee is an advisory committee established
to assist the Secretary General on various matters, usually that arise in
between meetings. The other members of this committee are the Vice-Chair
of Council, the Treasurer, and the Chairs of the three Standing Committees.
The President-elect, President, Immediate Past President, Legal Advisor and
the Secretary General are non-voting members of this committee.
➢➢ Sponsorship Advisory Committee: This committee was formed to assist the
Secretary General in applying guidelines for corporate relationships (grants
and sponsorships). The advisory committee must approve all grants. The other
members of this committee are the Council Chair, the Finance and Planning
Committee Chair and the Treasurer.
➢➢ CEO Review and Reimbursement Committee: This committee was formed to
review the Secretary General’s performance and recommend compensation
actions. The other members of this committee are the Chair of Council, the
Vice-Chair of Council, the Finance and Planning Committee Chair, the Socio-
Medical Affairs Committee Chair and the Treasurer.
WMA Chairpersons Orientation Guide page 10
The Medical Ethics Committee Chair presides over all meetings of the Medical Ethics
Committee. He/She is responsible for:
 Conducting the business of the meeting according to the agenda
● Responding to requests, concerns and suggestions of Committee members
(both during and between daily sessions)
● Assisting the Secretary General in developing Committee reports
● Delivering the Committee report to the Council
General Instructions and Information about Chairing WMA Meetings
Process for Moving Through the Agenda.
1. Agenda item is introduced by the Chair.
When appropriate, the Chair should give a brief history and overview of the
agenda item. The Chair may decide to have the introduction given by the initiator,
a proponent or a rapporteur of the specific item.
2. Chair opens the item for discussion.
It is often helpful at this point for the Chair to ask for specific proposals regarding
how to proceed. The Chair can list the options for the Committee. The
Committee may decide to
● go directly to a vote to approve/defeat immediately, or
● have an open discussion, including evaluation of written comments
submitted by NMAs
● refer the document to a working group or rapporteur to revise and submit
before the end of the current Council Session
● refer the document to a working group or rapporteur to revise and submit
for consideration during the next Council session
3. Committee takes action on the item.
The Chair should always repeat the specific motion to take action before
proceeding to a vote and explain the implications or possible results of the action.
4. Chair summarizes action taken and moves to the next agenda item.
Once all official agenda items have been addressed, the Chair will call for “any
other business” and take action on any new items that are introduced.
5. Chair Adjourns Meeting.
WMA Chairpersons Orientation Guide page 11
Parliamentary Procedure
Chairpersons should be familiar with the basic parliamentary procedure used by the
WMA. This may be identical to or vary slightly from procedures used in other
organizations. Basic rules include:
● Participants must be recognized by the Chair in order to speak (“take the
floor”).
● All decisions must be preceded by a motion that states specifically what is
being proposed.
● All motions must be seconded by another member.
● After a motion has been made and seconded, the Chair must invite discussion
before proceeding to the vote.
● During discussion, a motion can be made to amend the original motion. The
motion to amend must be seconded. Discussion then proceeds on the
amendment. Normally, a vote is taken on the amendment before going back
to the original motion – unless the amended motion effectively decides the
entire original motion. This can all become very confusing for the Chair as
well as the Committee. The WMA Legal Advisor and the Secretary General
are knowledgeable about parliamentary procedure and will assist and advise
you whenever you are unsure about what to do next. While the Chair should
make every effort to follow established parliamentary procedure, the most
important thing the Chair can do is to make certain that everyone knows
exactly what has been proposed and clearly understands the language and
intent of any motion that is put to a vote.
● The Chair should generally allow everyone to speak once before giving the
floor to somebody for a second time. (At WMA, Committee or Council
members are given precedence over advisors or other participants.) The Chair
should encourage participants to limit their interventions to one per motion.
● If the Chair notices that all of the comments seem to agree with one another,
he or she should invite any members with opposing or otherwise different
views to speak. This means that the speakers queue (if there is one) will be
interrupted.
● Once the discussion is finished, the Chair should repeat the motion and ask for
a vote.
● Members may vote for or against a motion, or they may abstain from voting
● The Chair counts the votes in each category and announces the results to the
Committee.
● If a tie vote occurs and the Chair has not cast a vote, he/she may cast the
deciding vote. If a tie vote occurs and the Chair has cast a vote, the motion is
defeated.
WMA Chairpersons Orientation Guide page 12
Special Considerations for Chairing an international meeting
● Speak clearly and slowly. When reading from a document, allow breaks every
few words for interpretation.
● Avoid idiomatic language, word play, jokes and innuendo. There is always a
risk that these may be confusing or, even worse, that the jokes offered with
good intentions may actually be misunderstood in a way that offends or
embarrasses somebody. It is also uncomfortable when some people are able to
enjoy a joke while others do not understand it. Keep the meeting upbeat and
friendly, but be careful with humour. Be ready to step in and re-direct the
discussion if it seems like somebody is confused or offended by the comments
of another participant.
● Be diplomatic but also precise. In sensitive (especially political) discussions,
speakers sometimes try to use images or metaphors to convey messages,
expecting other to read “between the lines”. Of course it is important to be
thoughtful and avoid making harsh statements. That is usually the reason
people try to soften what they are saying. However, as the Chair, it is up to
you to make sure that everyone is clear about what they mean.
● Avoid abbreviations and acronyms. We all use them constantly within our
own organizations, but in an international meeting they become cryptic and
meaningless codes – even to colleagues that share the same language.
● Remain vigilant to ensure that participants do not speak too quickly or confuse
the discussion with unclear language.
● Remember that many participants will be speaking in a language other than
their natural language. Be prepared to help clarify comments and positions
that may be unclear by summarizing and/or repeating what you understand the
speaker to be saying. It is essential that you repeat specific proposals and
motions.
● Do your best to ensure that members make concrete suggestions and
amendments. When proposing a wording change to a document, participants
should express exactly how they want the new text to read. The Secretariat
will project proposed amendments in English. Remind the group that, if
possible, they should give their proposals to a WMA staff member before the
meeting. This is especially important when proposing a large text change. In
some cases, the Secretariat will even give the new text to the interpreters to
assist them. This helps ensure that all languages have the advantage of a
precise interpretation.
WMA Chairpersons Orientation Guide page 13
● Be sensitive to cultural differences. For many Council members, the WMA is
the only forum in which they have the opportunity to interact with colleagues
from so many other places. Remember that people have different styles of
communicating their views and that some participants tend to be less formal
and rule-oriented, while others are accustomed to following a very specific
process. Although you are expected to manage the meeting efficiently and
complete your agenda, a little extra flexibility is often called for to ensure that
certain members do not feel excluded or overpowered by a strict process.
● Remember that the interpreters’ job is to interpret the spoken word. They are
not called “translators” specifically because translation implies an exact
representation of the original words. The WMA has made employing the best
possible interpreters an administrative and financial priority to ensure that
meetings run smoothly. In addition, the Secretariat will project specific
language proposals on the overhead screen. Still, there is always the
possibility for confusion and this is another reason the Chair should always
repeat proposals and make sure that participants speak slowly and clearly.
● Watch out for delays caused by interpretation. Remember especially that
Japanese often must be interpreted through English first. This is also (often)
true of members who bring their own interpreters to sit beside them. Body
language provides excellent clues of when the interpreters have finished.
Participants will often nod their heads or look up from the table. Try to make
sure that all languages have caught up before moving ahead. This is especially
important during a vote.
The Many Leadership Roles of the Chair
Consensus Builder
Ultimately, the goal of WMA policy is to develop positions that unite physicians and
are internationally relevant and applicable. A policy that gains acceptance by a
narrow margin is not a victory for the WMA. The WMA has a history of exercising
excellent judgement when it comes to extremely divisive issues. This is true of entire
topics as well as particular points within a topic.
In addition to professional medical differences of opinion, there is no doubt that global
and regional politics do enter into WMA policy debates (especially in relation to
issues of human rights, economics and security). Sometimes, it is recognized that a
subject should simply be avoided completely. In other cases, the relevant body
(Committee or Council) will agree that the WMA should take action to recognize the
importance of an issue, but that a definitive position is not desirable or possible. The
group may decide, for example, that the WMA’s stance should be to encourage
further research or public debate, or to simply encourage those involved in the issue to
WMA Chairpersons Orientation Guide page 14
use sound ethical judgement. There are many options available and it often falls to
the Chair to lay out the choices and ease members away from non-negotiable
positions.
The Chairs should make it a priority to promote the WMA’s longstanding culture of
consensus and exhibit leadership when guiding the group through complicated or
divisive issues. The WMA’s objective is never to avoid controversial subjects, but to
ensure that all ideas and perspectives are considered and to strive to find, or create,
common ground. Still, despite your best efforts, sometimes a group will insist on
putting two completely opposing views a vote and determining which side wins and
which side loses. Expect this.
Finally, the Chair is fully entitled to contribute his or her opinions to the discussion,
and to vote on matters. However, the Chair must not to allow personal views to
influence how he or she manages the debate process or otherwise supersede the duty
to be independent.
Diplomat
WMA’s purpose is to be a source of international support and assistance to individual
NMAs as well as its global constituency. Sometimes an NMA will have very strong
feelings about a certain position due to a national situation it is addressing. Other
times, groups of NMAs ally in an effort to promote a particular issue or position. The
above situations are sometimes very complicated politically and managing them
requires finding a balance between respecting and responding to the needs of
particular constituent members, and serving the worldwide profession.
At times, the Chair may find it helpful to meet privately with individuals in order to
fully understand the reasons behind their positions. There are often background
issues that an NMA might not want to discuss publicly but which provide critical
insight into the reasons behind a particular argument. The more information the
Chair has, the better he or she will be able to manage debates in a positive and
constructive way. The Chair might also convene (formally or informally) members
with opposing views in order to facilitate better understanding between them.
Listener
Being a good listener may be the most important quality of a good Chair. One of the
most frustrating feelings for a group member is to feel as if he or she has not been
heard or understood. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that everyone has the
opportunity to express his or her opinion. At the same time, it is important to avoid
lengthy debates in which different members reiterate points that have already been
made or in which a minority viewpoint dominates the discussion. The Chair can
prevent this problem by stepping in occasionally to summarize and repeat the key
WMA Chairpersons Orientation Guide page 15
points that have been made and then ask specifically if anyone has a new perspective
to add to the discussion.
Leader
The Chair sets the tone for the meeting. If the Chair appears disorganized, unsure or
consistently surprised with what is happening during the meeting, it will be very
difficult to maintain order and lead constructive discussions. Therefore, he or she
must come fully prepared, familiar with the materials and the background of the items
on his or her agenda. In addition, the Chair should have an idea of how he or she
wants to handle each agenda item and try to predict, as far as possible, any potential
problems that might arise. The Chair should also be aware of any political or other
tensions that might have an impact of the agenda or the meeting itself. The Secretary
General will meet with the Chair before each meeting to brief him or her on the
agenda and share any additional information that might be useful. Of course, one can
never really know what is going to happen in a meeting, but the Chair’s goal is to be
the most well-prepared and knowledgeable person in the room regarding the work of
his or her Committee.
Conclusion
Serving as a Chair within the WMA is a large responsibility but it should be an enjoyable
experience as well. The Secretary General and WMA staff are available to provide you with
information and will do their best to assist you with any concerns or questions you might
have regarding your responsibilities.
Telephone: +33 4 50 40 75 75
Fax: +33 4 50 40 59 37
E-mail: secretariat@wma.net
April 2017