Tips and Tricks to Create an Agenda

Being in charge of planning a meeting can sometimes be a daunting task. When you’re in charge of creating an agenda you will find that there are many things to think about.Not to worry, here are a few tips and tricks to creating a professional that will engage attendees.

The Agenda Checklist

1. Make sure you have all the required items:

• Review previous minutes for open items
• Assign pre meeting activities for attendees that need to come prepared
• Ask for suggestions for topics requested to be added on the agenda
• Begin the Agenda process with plenty of time for you to make changes and distribute it to the attendees

The Agenda Structure

1. General information

• Name of group or organization
• Date, time, and location of meeting
• Purpose of the Meeting
• List of any special acknowledgments presenters

2. Agenda items:

• Call to order
• Opening remarks
• Approval of last meetings minutes
• Officer reports
• Committee/subcommittee reports
• Old business
• New business
• Closing remarks
• Adjournment

A Few Extra Agenda Tips

1. At the beginning of the meeting, ask attendees for any last minute additions – this will help you control the meeting and limit interruptions
2. Be sure to conclude an agenda topic prior to moving on, unless it needs to be parked for later discussion
3. Plan for additional time for discussions and debates, especially on controversial topics
4. Don’t be afraid to encourage attendees to stick to the agenda – the meeting will go much smoother