Whether your goal in a Model UN committee is to win an award, learn more about international affairs, or develop better speaking skills, your committee chair will be at the helm of most of the direction your committee takes, and will be most responsible for making any of your goals a reality. Though it is up to you to ensure that you are successful in committee, it certainly can’t hurt to be in good graces with the chair throughout the weekend. With all this in mind, here are a few tips to help you stay in good relations with your chair:
Every chair might run their committee differently; be sure to follow all of their unique rules!
1. Introduce yourself before committee
Though you don’t need to give your chair your name, address, date of birth, favorite sports team, and your star sign, it’s important that you greet them before the start of committee. Simply by greeting your chair, telling them your name and telling them the country you’re representing, you will help distinguish yourself from other delegates, and begin to build a relationship with your chair.
2. Always remain diplomatic during committee
You never know when your chair will be watching, so be careful to always be polite and respectful of other delegates. This is especially important during Un-Moderated caucuses, as your chair will most likely be walking around the room, listening to many different conversations. You don’t want to be the one who gets caught by your chair while yelling at other delegates.
3. Keep an open line of communication with your chair
It is important to make sure you’re always communicating with your chair during committee. This is pivotal during the writing of resolutions, as you should be asking the chair if there’s any particular format the resolution should be in, and if there are any changes that need to be made.
4. Don’t do anything you think may annoy/upset your chair
There’s an overabundance of things that could be done to upset your chair, but rather than list all of them, check out Best Delegate’s previous article on the same topic: https://bestdelegate.com/from-behind-the-dais-10-things-to-avoid-doing-that-will-upset-your-chair/. Try to avoid these things to maintain your good relationship with the chair.
5. Help clean up after a committee session
This is a simple gesture that will take 2-3 minutes of your time to leave a good impression on the chair. The floors of committee rooms are typically littered with notes or scrap paper after committee, and helping to clean them up will make your chair think more highly of you. (Bonus points if you get other delegates to stay after and help clean up with you.)
6. Talk to your chair after each committee session
The conversation can be as short as thanking your chair for a great committee session. A good tip is to ask your chair is if they like how committee is going and if they have any comments on how you’re doing in committee. Afterwards, be sure to thank them for their help. If you follow any advice they give you, you are sure to stay in their good favor.
7. Be polite to your chair if you see them out of committee
It’s more than likely that you’ll see your chair at least once outside of committee during the weekend. If you do see them, be polite and say hello to them.
By following these tips, you’re sure to leave a good impression on the chair, and you may find that committee will be more enjoyable, more fun, and a better learning experience.
