For an Effective Meeting, You Need an Agenda

Something that I frequently see are meetings with no agenda.

This often occurs when there are meetings that are on the calendar every week (Monday Kick-off Meeting, Friday Round-Up Meeting, etc.). These meetings often happen out of habit rather than out of necessity. The problem is that sometimes, these weekly check-ins are necessary, but no one really knows what to expect.

This is why an agenda is crucial.

Here are some keys to making an effective agenda:

1. Get input from the team.

Once the meeting has started (on time), the first question you should ask is, "Did I miss anything for today's meeting?"

If something is suggested, decide whether you will add it to the meeting. If it is something that you choose not to add, have an explanation why. For example, if the meeting is focused on a single project update and someone suggests that you talk about a second project, you may decide not to include the second project until a later meeting,

2. Ask the questions that you want answered.

If an agenda item is "Project Update," this doesn't do a good job of specifying what you want to learn. It also doesn't give the person working on the project much to think about. However, if you were to list the agenda item as:

Project Update

--Are we still on schedule?

--What additional resources are needed?

--What are the next steps? Who is responsible for the next steps?

When an agenda item is listed as a question or a series of questions, participants can be clear on the expectations. It also allows others to keep each agenda item on track. If the meeting begins to move into other subjects, someone can simply ask, "I don't see how this comment answers any of these questions."

3. Identify who is responsible for each agenda item.

Just because you are leading the meeting does not mean that you are required to talk non-stop. In fact, it is beneficial to everyone when the leader doesn't speak non-stop and rather facilitates the conversation.

Next to each agenda question, assign a person who is responsible for leading the discussion. This keeps everyone engaged, and it also ensures that the right people are presenting their areas of expertise.

**This only works if you have given everyone on your team adequate time to review the meeting agenda and prepare.**

4. Include a timeframe for each agenda item.

By including a timeframe for each agenda item, you are showing those in attendance that you have actually spent some time figuring out how long the meeting will go. Secondly, it keeps everyone on the same page for how long they can comment and discuss particular items. Estimating the time might not come easy at first, but as you continue to lead meetings, this will become a more exact process.

5. End the meeting with a recap.

Go over the next steps, who is responsible, and when they are due.

Also, take a moment to review how the meeting went and seek out feedback on how you can improve. The feedback section can also be done by sending out a post-meeting survey. Some questions you can ask:

--Was the agenda given out early enough for you to prepare?

--Was there enough time to cover each agenda item?

--Did we stay on topic?

--Are there clear next steps?

Creating a clear and concise agenda will allow your team to better prepare, better engage, and better focus throughout your meetings.