An agenda is usually prepared by the chair person or secretary and / or is derived from minutes from a previous meeting.
The agenda is there to highlight the purpose of the meeting and to ensure the roles and responsibilities of the attendees is clearly communicated, to enable control and effectiveness of the proceedings. An agenda should include the structure of the proposed meeting which will enable attendees to appropriately prepare and prioritise the required information. The agenda should also be distributed in adequate advance of the meeting to allow for this.Preparation of a meeting should include the following:An invite to a meeting would normally be produced including the date, time location, duration of meeting and proposed agendaThe topic and structure of the meeting would be reviewed by attendees and proposed additions to the agenda may be considered.Where required, (and if the agenda is derived from) previous minutes should be provided to all attendeesAll attendees should be confirmed at arrivalEach attendee of the meeting should be prepared with their own objectives in conjunction with the agenda prior to the meeting.
The objectives should include a personal goal with suggestions to reach the desired outcome to the meeting.Presentation of information i.e. slides or handouts should be included in the individual’s preparation.Basic housekeeping (i.e.
room, facilities, etc) should be the responsibility of the facilitator or secretary.Chairperson:Take control of the meeting and the attendeesEnsure the agenda is adhered to by all participantsAddress and subside conflict to avoid chaosEncourage participation and interactionTo ensure a consensusSecretary:General facilitation of the meeting (coffee and biscuits)Responsible for minutesIndividual / Attendee:Make appropriate preparation to ensure a goal is reachedBe punctual, motivational and pro-activeParticipate in the progress of the meeting to ensure the outcome reached is beneficial to allEnsure actions are taken and followed upThe basic meeting protocol and procedures should be led by the chairperson / facilitator but must be understood and absorbed by all individuals. This will guarantee effectiveness and alleviate any frustrations prior to the meeting. The basic protocol is as follows:Introductions – all attendees need to feel comfortable with their environment and must understand the purpose of others attendance in order to assuage any grievances. This should be addressed prior to the meeting when the invite and agenda is set.Agenda – Preparation is key to making the most of the meeting and to lessen the potential waste of resources during the meeting.
Completion – All areas of the agenda will be addressed and completed in order to get results.Summarise – All points must be summarised to avoid misunderstanding of points agreed.Agree – An agreement which is unanimous is favourable but should at least confirm the majority agreement on each point.AOB – Any other business should always be suggested at the closing stages of the meeting so all participation is considered.
Next meeting - (when required) should be agreed in this meeting to go through any actions proposed.Minutes are useful prior, during and after the meeting itself. Prior, they can be reviewed to help set the agenda for the meeting as well as highlighting key points for preparation. During, they are used for summarising areas of discussion and reviewing previous actions. After, the minutes are normally sent to all attendees so they can be reviewed and considered in a different environment, which helps the individual put their actions into practice, as well as reflect on the points and opinions raised throughout.
The purpose of a meeting is normally to alleviate a problem or meet an objective. All attendees invited must play a part in doing this and the conclusion to a meeting would normally derive from a plan. This is the purpose of an action plan, to ensure the purpose of the meeting is definedReviewing your own effectiveness at a meeting would depend on your role within the meeting, and the outcome and effectiveness of the goal set. If the meeting was facilitated by yourself and the goal was achieved with minimal fuss, then the meeting, and its effectiveness is successful. If the meeting was a failure it would be appropriate to identify the reasons for this. Reviewing the minutes or gathering feedback from attendees would be a suitable manner to establish this.
