We’ve all attended unproductive meetings that waste time and money. Meetings are not free regardless of the wrong people or irrelevant discussions. A meeting agenda that is efficient will allow you to achieve the purpose of the meeting and help you achieve your company’s goals.

A clear and concise agenda makes everyone aware of what’s expected to happen during the meeting, and it helps participants prepare for it. The best way to design an effective agenda for meetings is by including the following essential elements:

Note all the expected outcomes and the goal of your meeting. This will help you keep your focus on the most important topics and eliminate unnecessary side-bars.

Determine what topics will be discussed for each item. This will include a brief description of the topic and the person who is responsible for addressing the topic. It will also indicate the amount of time that will be devoted to the discussion. It is also helpful to include the location and the time zone of the meeting, particularly for remote teams.

Take note of each item on the agenda as a query to be answered by an entire group. (Example: “What steps should we follow to rent equipment ?”). The act of phrasing each discussion item as a question will encourage discussion and improve understanding of what’s expected at the meeting.

Include a description of the process you’re planning to follow for each item on the agenda. This is a meeting element that is often left unnoticed, but can be significant in determining the effectiveness of the meeting. A clear process will help participants to decide what to do with https://boardroomliving.com/top-virtual-data-room-software-for-companies/ a subject which could result in off-topic discussions or even a complete derailment of the meeting. By adding a process that allows participants to alter their comments so that they remain within the allocated time or suggest more time for a certain topic.