How to Create an Effective Meeting Agenda

Each kind of meeting, from a private discussion with a teammate to an all-hands conference to address organizational goals and key issues, requires a well-crafted agenda. A well-planned agenda will keep everyone involved and focused and improve the efficiency of all participants and the entire group.

Define the purpose of each item on the agenda. By defining the goal of each item, participants know what to expect from the meeting and alter their participation in line with the expectations. Meeting objectives that are clear helps ensure that the meeting doesn’t go off-track, so it is more likely to be successful.

For https://boardroomliving.com/creating-an-effective-meeting-agenda/ each goal, you must state clearly how the desired result will be achieved. It is possible to state whether the goal is to gather information or make a decision or to share information. It may also specify the procedure to follow to achieve the objective for example, seeking consensus or voting.

Provide an estimated time for each agenda item. By providing an estimated time, participants can prepare for the discussion. They can also adjust their participation according to the time. Leaders can also decide whether more time is needed or if they can achieve the desired goal in less time.

Include «parking lots» items on your agenda. Parking lot is used to record important topics, ideas, and conversations that are relevant to the subject of the meeting, but don’t need to be discussed. This prevents meetings from being derailed by unrelated conversations. It can be particularly useful for virtual meetings.