How to Create an Effective Meeting Agenda

We’ve all attended unproductive meetings that are a waste of time and money. If it’s not the right people present or insignificant discussions the time you spend in meetings isn’t cheap. A meeting agenda that’s effective will help you achieve the goal of the meeting and get closer to your company’s goals.

A clear and concise agenda lets everyone know what is going to occur during the meeting, and helps participants prepare for it. Include the following items in your meeting agenda to ensure it’s effective.

List all the expected outcomes and the goal of your meeting. This will keep you focused on the most important issues and prevent unnecessary side-bars.

Determine what topics will be discussed for each item. This will include a brief description of the subject, who’s responsible for addressing it and how much www.boardroomliving.com/top-virtual-data-room-software-for-companies/ time must be allocated to the discussion. It is also important to include the location and time zone of the meeting, particularly for teams that are remote.

Take note of each item on the agenda as a query to be addressed by an entire group. (Example: “What steps do we need to take to rent equipment?” ?”). The act of phrasing each discussion item as an open-ended question can encourage discussion and increase understanding of what is expected of the meeting.

Include a description of the process you’re planning to follow for each item on the agenda. This is one of the most often overlooked elements of a meeting and can significantly increase the effectiveness of your meetings. A clear process will allow participants decide on the best way to approach a topic that could lead to off-topic discussions or even a complete breakdown of the meeting. By adding a process, attendees can adapt their comments so that they can be within the time frame allotted or suggest more time for a certain topic.