Meetings Agenda: The Top Tips For Better Results

Meetings Agenda: The Top Tips For Better Results

In my early days I sat through many meetings with no fixed Agenda. Many times they would meander off the subject matters or were hijacked by participants with side objectives or “pet” issues and the meetings achieved very little other than to waste everyone’s time.

 

 

It is critical to always have an Agenda for all meetings and to keep meetings to a fixed time.

Personally I do not like meetings to go longer than 1 hour. But there is no hard and fixed rule.

Although not directly part of this post – You may also consider “Stand Up” meetings as a way to encourage shorter meetings.  As the name implies – all participants stand during the meeting – Some people like them – Some do not.

General Guidelines

•  Always have an agenda
• Distribute the agenda to participants well before the meeting
• Request confirmation of the agenda – to minimize the risk of the meeting being hi jacked by someone with another agenda
• Set a time for each item on the agenda – a stop watch or similar is obviously required
• Plus a nominated timekeeper
• Make it clear at the start of the meeting that the agenda and times are to be followed
• If anyone wants to change the agenda at this stage – the answer is NO – Unless there is a very good reason – Obviously common sense needs to prevail
• New issues may need to be the subject of a new meeting – Which will need to be arranged for a new date
• Note that the allotted times are a guide – allow some latitude
• If a participant is going well over the allotted time – They need to be “politely” reminded of the time limit
• If the issue is likely to need extended time/debate/discussion – It should be closed down and noted/minuted with something along the lines of … the XYZ subject/issue was not resolved because of ABC and another meeting will be scheduled to address this….. – together with any relevant detail.
• It is very important to be polite but firm – if required – A slice of humor will help to soften any tensions
• Focus on the desired outcomes
• Keep the meeting on track and do not wander off into ancillary areas
• And finally – Always keep accurate minutes of the meeting – it is important to Minute All Meetings

 

Not Only – But Also……

• Open List Of Pages – Engineering Nostalgia for pages of Old Engineer Memories from Engineering practice in the 1960’s/70’s/80’s – with a bit of armed forces and medieval trivia thrown in
• Regardless of your current status – always ask the question – Is there a Better Way and
  visit the 3R web page for an overview of the 3R Philosophy        Review – Refresh – Reset
• Whenever possible – always follow the KISS Principle
• Challenge yourself and your colleagues with an Engineering Quiz
• Check out Engineering Odd Bits for odd subject matter – including humor and comment