687f60c75bfc05a27cfc84ac9998bf25fa3edfcf_pexels-photo-515169.jpg

Improve your meetings by setting an effective agenda

h
John Sherman
2017-12-17

Have you walked out of business meetings and thought it was a total waste of your day?

We all know that time is everything in business and there’s nothing worse than feeling like you’ve been unproductive and wasted precious time.

But, there’s an easy way to avoid having an unproductive meeting ever again and that’s by preparing beforehand. A meeting agenda is exactly what you need. It’s simple, yet effective.

null

When we talk about someone having an agenda, there’s often negative connotations and it’s automatically assumed that it’s a bad thing. But, when it comes to business, it’s quite the opposite.

Of course, we’re not just talking about simply creating a list of things to do. It’s more than that. It’s creating a schedule and a plan.

An agenda is a way to shape your meeting to make sure all of the important information and relevant matters are addressed. Having a meeting agenda is all about organization and making the most of your time.

Not to mention, employees need to know why they’re at the meeting and have some direction of what they can expect. Having a meeting agenda means that more can be accomplished and you can focus on the important stuff.

Just a little extra effort will always pay off in the long run.

So, do you want to ensure meeting agendas make a regular appearance in your office? Well, that’s where an agenda setting course is going to help!

 

Setting an agenda

The advantages include helping potential attendees decide whether they need to attend the meeting, as well as providing a structure to the meeting. This means the chair can control the schedule and allow the meeting’s success to be judged.

This section also highlights that meetings are all different and will have a different agenda depending on what is to be discussed or the sector they are in.

At this point, there are options on the video screen where the user can click and learn about the different areas you should cover when setting an agenda. This includes logistics, objectives, housekeeping, items, any other business and close.

Logistics

This is going to be arranging the date, time and place so that everyone knows where they should be for the meeting. In addition, this will include the title of the meeting and a list of everyone that is invited to participate.

Objective

It is essential to decide the purpose of the meeting. Without clear objectives, there’s not much point! It should also be decided whether this is a one-off meeting or if it should be the first in a series of meetings.

Housekeeping

This is your introduction to the meeting, with a welcome to all attendees. You can also cover approval of previous minutes and anything else that is important to address before you begin and is not dealt with in the agenda.

Items

These are the topics you want to discuss. Every item on the agenda will have a number and title, as well as a presenter. Having a suggested time limit on the discussion will also help to structure the meeting for productivity.

Allocating a priority order for your items can make sure the important topics are covered first and you don’t run out of time.

Any other business

This is the opportunity to bring up anything that hasn’t been discussed or included in the meeting. Of course, with a well-prepared agenda, there shouldn’t be the need to raise any other business. So, this section of your meeting is optional.

 

Why is an agenda setting course important?

Once you know how to create an agenda, you can run a successful meeting and know how to make the most of your time, as well as not waste the time of other employees. Everyone can be more productive and become better at their job.

This course lets employees learn how to avoid distractions and risk going off on a tangent during important meetings since everything’s clear and everyone knows exactly what they’re doing.

With an agenda, meetings don’t have to be a waste of time anymore – they can be a valuable contribution to your day’s work and let you achieve success!

Go1 helps millions of people in thousands of organizations engage in learning that is relevant, effective and inspiring.
Latest stories and insights