An agenda is an important business tool that managers use to run effective and efficient meetings. It gives meeting participants a road map for the topics that will be discussed, which makes it possible for them to prepare thoroughly. Most importantly, it keeps meetings on track and on time and prevents unnecessary side discussions and distractions. Large corporations often use a structured agenda format, but small businesses can use a more informal approach.
Formatting the Agenda
An agenda can take many forms, but at its essence, it is simply a list of meeting topics to be discussed. At the top of the agenda, list the invited participants and the time allotted for the meeting. Add a time limit to each item on the agenda and stick to it in order to get through all agenda items and close the meeting on time. If meeting participants need to prepare reports or updates before the meeting, send out the agendas ahead of time.
Review Minutes From Previous Meeting
To begin creating an agenda for an upcoming meeting, review the minutes of the last meeting. The minutes are simply a summary of who was there and who was absent, what was discussed, and the results of any votes. Look for any agenda items that meeting participants were assigned to follow up on. The first agenda item should be a review of those outstanding issues with updates on their current statuses.
Gathering team members in a room provides a good opportunity to share company news, important bulletins and other mundane information that needs to be passed along. Housekeeping can be its own agenda item. The details do not have to be recorded on the agenda if the meeting leader has separate notes. However, including them on the agenda prevents meeting participants from forgetting to make note of them.
This section is the meat and potatoes of the agenda. Each topic of new business that needs to be discussed should be a separate agenda item. Use bullet points in each section to outline the important areas of discussion along with the expected deliverables, which are the end products of a meeting topic. They represent what is expected to be accomplished by the end of the discussion. It could be a vote, a report from a subcommittee or simply an agreement on an issue. Setting these expectations informs meeting participants as to what will be required of them by the end of the discussion.
Every meeting should set aside time for meeting participants to bring forward their own issues to discuss. It is an opportunity for management and other areas of the business to hear about successes, challenges and other issues facing their peers. Often, obstacles can be overcome by group discussion of potential solutions.
At the end of the meeting, a quick review of new outstanding items helps meeting participants remember them. This is also the time to announce any other scheduled meetings or upcoming deadlines.
- Comstock Images/Comstock/Getty Images