Regional Meeting

Meeting agenda comprises the various topics for discussion of a meeting. Drafting meeting agenda is an art that requires technique and expertise. Meeting agenda has to be comprehensive, precise and accurate and cannot stray or digress from the primary aim of the meeting. It is not desirable for a single person to delineate the conference agenda as bias and preference are bound to creep in if a single person is writing the conference agenda. Rather, conference agenda should be decided upon by a team of senior managers, so that the final meeting agenda is devoid of bias.

Company Goals over Individual Goals

One of the major problems that managers face when setting meeting agenda is how they will deal with each topic of discussion, how much weightage they should place on each topic. This is the chief area of dispute and disagreement and the main bone of contention between managers who shoulder the responsibility of formulating meeting agenda. That is because every manager who is involved in creating the conference agenda wants to give priority and preference to the topic, which he or she thinks, is the most important. And the most important topic for every manager is obviously linked with his or her own vested interests in the company. An HR manager may give undue weightage to recruitment and selection as the only means for improved company profits. A Marketing manager might emphasize a boost in sales to be the answer to the question of how to push up profits. In the process, the Marketing manager will accentuate the importance of providing sales training to employees over all other issues just as the HR Manager may underscore recruitment of the right people over and above everything else. Each manager is bound to stress his or her own sphere of activity while preparing conference agenda. Because each manager is concerned most about his or her own department. Better departmental results mean a promotion for the department’s manager! Hence, personal ambitions automatically crop up when managers put their heads together in order to frame realistic, necessary and relevant meeting agenda.

Due Diligence of Each Agenda Topic

Hence, what is most essential is that managers sacrifice their individual interests and ponder on the long-term interests of the company when they are putting into words conference agenda. I do not recommend that managers totally forget about their departmental interests. I am only saying that managers check whether their departmental interests are really of such a critical character that they have to be put on the meeting agenda. If, after careful inspection and analysis, managers find that some departmental issues are burning and need to be dealt with immediately, then such issues have to and must be put on the conference agenda forthwith and also be marked as priority meeting agenda. However, if after meticulous due diligence, a manager thinks that the issue need not be addressed in the forthcoming meeting, then they should be honest with themselves and not feign that such issues are pressing matters that need to be placed on the conference agenda. Managers should have the good sense not to blow issues out of proportion just so that they may get a place on the meeting agenda.

An Agenda for Real Change

Devising meeting agenda requires wisdom, maturity and coolness of mind. It also requires managers to be able to work in a team. In some cases, we do find a single person devising the conference agenda for a meeting but if the single person is to do the job well, he or she must be completely unbiased, extremely mature and true to the company’s goals. Otherwise the conference agenda that will be generated will be skewed, prejudiced, will not be able to give a clear picture of where the company stands and where it needs to go, and will consequently be useless for the company. Therefore, conference agenda has to be prepared by an impartial manager or managers who are wise enough to understand the long-term goals of the company. It is this long-term vision and not shortsightedness with a focus on short-term company goals that will help managers to craft meeting agenda that will bring about the much-desired change in the company.

Streamlining Meeting Agenda

It is only after the first draft of the conference agenda is produced that managers can move on to the next step of meeting agenda creation. This step is about grouping and clubbing together. You will invariably see that some of the topics listed under the conference agenda are similar in nature and can be combined under one topic heading. Such a thing is sure to happen. So, instead of leaving the topics as separate and discrete points for discussion, club them. Consolidate as many topics as you can so that the total number of topics under the conference agenda decreases substantially. This way the topics for discussion of the meeting are streamlined and arranged in a proper order. A streamlined conference agenda helps to facilitate the meeting process. If meeting agenda is not correctly structured, the meeting presenter will be wasting a lot of precious time at the meeting trying to make sense of meeting agenda that is all harum-scarum.

Overall Score of the Meeting Agenda

Next, revise the conference agenda to check whether all urgent issues have been included. Put in numbers and bullet points. Examine the meeting agenda carefully on the following scores:

• Does the meeting agenda address all that needs to be addressed?
• Will the meeting agenda be instrumental in bringing about the change that is required in the company?
• Is the meeting agenda pertinent?
• Does the meeting agenda justify the summoning of the meeting?
• Does the meeting agenda add value?

Your meeting agenda should be the answer to each of the questions asked above. Only then can you call it a proper conference agenda. The last question about adding value is especially significant. Your meeting agenda MUST add value to the meeting process so that your meeting is a success. A meeting agenda that does not add value and that does not answer the other questions properly is a worthless piece of paper that should be flung into the trash can.

Keeping Attendees in the Know

Finally, you must ensure that as many prints of the meeting agenda are taken as the number of attendees invited to the meeting. Copies of the conference agenda must be sent to all meeting attendees in advance so that when they come to the meeting, they are fully prepared with their ideas, suggestions, modi operandi, questions, doubts and answers. A meeting agenda should always be circulated among the meeting participants in advance, if you want the meeting to be a productive one. Never think of springing a surprise with your conference agenda. If meeting attendees attend a meeting without knowing the agenda in advance, the meeting will never be of any use. One-sided discussions, the airing of strategies decided on an arbitrary basis and commands and lecturing do not make a meeting. Remember, meeting attendees are professionals who go to meetings in order to take away something valuable from them. They are not students who hang on to the words of the meeting presenter as though the words are the oracle truth. Neither are they tribes and nomads who go to listen to their tribal chieftains. So, when setting the conference agenda, think of them first. Think of why you are hosting the meeting, what you have to offer the meeting attendees. Design the meeting agenda accordingly and distribute it to them a few days before the meeting. Give them a chance to understand what the meeting is all about and to come fully prepared to the meeting. Enlightening meeting attendees on the meeting agenda on a prior basis will really help you to have a great and memorable meeting.

by Damien Ghosh