Effective Meetings with Agendas and Minutes is a must course for the whole team, especially those who conduct meetings. Research suggests only half of business meeting time is used effectively. Psychologists Eve Ash and Peter Quarry explain that every meeting needs a clear purpose for the meeting, set out in the agenda. Everyone should know why the meeting has been called and what they are supposed to be discussing and deciding. An agenda is a plan for the meeting, shared with participants to prepare them for the meeting. It lays out clearly what needs to happen before, during and after the meeting, guides the discussion through each item, flagging any follow up action.
Memory is not good enough. Meetings need minutes to record decisions, rules and precedents discussed and dated. In some cases, minutes provide documentary evidence or legal evidence in an audit.
- Learn that meetings must have ground rules to be efficient and productive
- Meetings need an agenda and well-recorded accurate minutes
- Be clear on when, where and for how long the meeting will take place
- Have a clear purpose, set out in an agenda
- List order of business- items for discussion, with specific objectives
- Allocate time for each item and any extra business
- Record minutes clearly then distribute after approval
