A well organised agenda turns a meeting from a time-waster into a focused, productive session. It sets clear expectations, guides the conversation, and keeps everyone on track to reach the meeting's goals.
Why Should You Create an Agenda for Every Meeting?
Meetings take up your team’s time, so it’s important to make them as effective as possible.
Here’s why having an agenda is a must:
- Keeps Everyone on Track: An agenda outlines what you’ll talk about and in what order, so everyone knows what to expect and what needs to be achieved.
- Helps People Prepare: When you send out an agenda in advance, attendees can come prepared, leading to more meaningful discussions and ideas.
- Keeps the Meeting Focused: By setting time limits for each topic, the meeting stays on schedule and avoids wasting time on off-topic discussions.
- Makes Follow-Up Easy: After the meeting, the agenda serves as a reminder of what was discussed and what actions need to happen next.
What Should Go in a Meeting Agenda?
The details might change depending on the meeting, but here’s a simple structure that works for most:
Meeting Goal: Clearly state the purpose of the meeting and what you want to accomplish (e.g. Talk about Q3 marketing strategies and decide next steps).
Date, Time, and Location: Include the basics—when and where the meeting will be held (virtual or in-person).
Attendees: List who should be there, including any required or optional guests.
Agenda Items: Write down each topic you want to discuss in order of importance, with a rough idea of how much time each will take (e.g.Q3 marketing strategy (30 mins)).
Time Limits: Allocate a specific amount of time for each topic to keep things moving.
Responsible People: Assign someone to lead each discussion item to keep things organized and make sure everything gets covered.
Pre-reads: Include any documents or links attendees should look at before the meeting.
Action Items: Leave space to write down who’s responsible for each task and when it’s due.
Notes: Allow space for questions, thoughts, or ideas to revisit later.
Best Tips for Great Agendas:
- Send It Early: Share the agenda ahead of time so everyone has a chance to prepare.
- Stick to the Time: Keep the meeting on track by following the time limits for each topic.
- Review Actions: At the end of the meeting, go over the action items to make sure everyone knows what’s next.
By following this simple structure, you’ll have a meeting agenda that helps everyone stay focused, organised, and productive!
Helpful Resources:
7 meeting agenda examples
Customisable meeting agenda templates
Meeting agenda examples for better meetings