7

What's On the Menu?

Meetings without an agenda are like a restaurant without a menu. You will not only miss the entrée (or main point); you will likely digress, ramble, waste time, and face conflict.

Establish an agenda that provides information about:

1.     The participants (who)

2.     Kind of meeting (what)

3.     Location (where)

4.     Time and date (when)

5.     Items for discussion (how)

6.     Meeting purpose (why) 

If possible, send the agenda ahead of time to all participants.

A plant manager of an aluminum rolling mill told me that, after our series of meeting-effectiveness training sessions, productivity at meetings rose at least 50%.  He attributed this amazing jump in productivity to three simple things: starting and ending on time, using an agenda, and having each person come prepared for his or her part in the meeting.

―Susan B. Wilson