How to Create an Effective Meeting Agenda

We’ve all been to meetings that aren’t productive which cost time and money. Meetings aren’t always free due to the wrong people in attendance or a lack of discussion. A meeting agenda that is effective will help you achieve the meeting’s goal and move closer to company goals.

A concise and clear agenda allows everyone to understand what’s expected to happen during the meeting and helps participants prepare for it. Include the following items on your agenda to ensure it’s effective.

Note all the expected outcomes and the reason for your meeting. This will keep you focused on the most important issues and prevent ineffective side-bars.

Determine what topics will be discussed for each item. This should include a brief description of the topic as well as the person who is responsible for addressing the subject. It will also define the time allotted to the discussion. It’s also beneficial to include details about the location of the meeting, as well as its time zone, especially for teams that are remote.

If you’re a team that is collaborative, consider the agenda items as an open-ended question that will be addressed by the group (i.e., “What steps should we take to rent equipment?” ?”). Each discussion topic can be addressed as a query to encourage discussion and better be aware of what is expected at the meeting.

Include an explanation of the procedure you’re expecting to follow for each item on the agenda. This is an aspect of a meeting that is often left unnoticed however it can be significant in determining the effectiveness of the meeting. A clear process will allow participants decide on how to approach a particular topic that could cause off-topic discussions, or even a complete derailment. By introducing a procedure that allows participants to alter their comments so that they are within the time limit or suggest more time for a particular topic.

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