There are some preliminary details to consider when creating the agenda, including when and where the meeting should be scheduled, what the meeting should accomplish, and who will attend. Giving thought to these issues is the first step toward planning a successful meeting.

At the top of all agendas, include the name of the meeting, date, location, and time. If not stated in the email notification, also list the confirmed participants. This basic detailed information located at the top of the agenda makes it easy for participants to plan to attend. If the agenda you send is merely a draft, be sure to note that clearly at the top; when you send a revision or final agenda, note the revised date so participants don’t confuse it with previous versions.

Schedule the informational items first. Keep them brief and no longer than 5–10 minutes. This should include updates from the last meeting on action items and quick announcements. Primary discussion topics should be addressed next. Take advantage of the precious time you have with the group and address the highest-priority topics first, even if they take longer. Some people schedule lower-priority and quicker discussion items first to get them out of the way quickly. But this plan can backfire and leave you with too little time to discuss the most important topics. Often, lower-priority items not covered in a meeting are more easily postponed or can be resolved by one or two individuals. Leave the last 5–10 minutes at the end of the meeting for a wrap-up of action items, next steps, and plans for the next meeting.

Be sure you assign who will guide each discussion topic so those individuals are prepared to lead that part of the discussion. Make sure you ask those particular individuals whether they have any special requests, such as AV needs, easels, handouts, or other visuals or equipment. Figure 9.1 shows a sample agenda.

FIGURE 9.1 Shown here is a sample meeting agenda created in the Microsoft Word Agenda Wizard. At www.office.microsoft.com, Microsoft offers agenda templates and wizards to help you create agendas. Click Templates directly underneath the left sidebar on the home page. Once on the Template page, in the top search toolbar, type the word agenda. This gives you a list of multiple types of agenda templates and wizards available to download free.

Be sure you include a start and end time on the agenda, and propose estimated discussion times for each topic. Setting this framework assures participants that the meeting won’t drag on forever and encourages everyone to stick to the proposed limits for each discussion item. Knowing there is a time limit encourages everyone to stay on-track to complete the agenda.

tip

If you plan meetings regularly, track future agenda items for the next meeting as you think of them. Write them in the notes field in your electronic calendar entry, or write them next to the appointment in your paper planner. Before you write the agenda, refer to your notes in your calendar. This will save time trying to remember what you wanted to put on the agenda.

Give updates a smaller amount of time during the meeting. Most people will have received updates through emails and other correspondence, so meeting updates should only be brief recaps. If you have too many lengthy discussion items to cover in the meeting, either extend the meeting or move some items to a subsequent meeting.

After about 1–2 hours of meeting time, most individuals need a 10- or 15-minute break. This gives all participants a mental and physical break from the meeting and an opportunity to listen to voice mail and review email. If you’re scheduling an all-day meeting, be sure to include a few longer breaks and a meal break.

After time limits are established, if you need to extend the meeting, make sure you have agreement from the group. Ask the following question, “We have these further agenda items to discuss, which will probably take 30 more minutes. We can either extend our meeting another 30 minutes or defer these agenda items to our next meeting. Which option would work best for everyone?” This allows participants the courtesy to end or extend the meeting by consensus.

Tips for Those Who are Late to Meetings

We have all been culprits at one time or another—being late to a meeting. Sometimes it can’t be helped. Most times, however, people are late because they lose track of time or are unable to stop what they’re doing at the moment. Here are some suggestions to encourage people to be on time for your meetings:

•   Always, always start on time—If you always start on time, people will expect it.

•   Consider starting your meetings not on the hour or half hour—Research suggests that meetings that start at odd times, such as 3:45, are more likely to have people arrive on time.

•   Get a bell and ring it—Depending on your office configuration, get a bell or other noisemaker and ring it 2 minutes before the meeting begins. The bell sound usually reminds individuals of the old school days when that bell rang and they had to run to get to class on time. Pavlov’s dog trick just might work!

•   Send an email just before the meeting and insert the important or priority icon—Often people are in the midst of responding to email and wanting to finish that one last email before the meeting starts. Reminding others via email is a good way to get them to wrap-up their current email response and come to the meeting.

•   Those who are consistently late go on the agenda first—If you have a few individuals who are always late, consider putting them on the agenda first. This creates accountability and responsibility to get to the meeting on time.

Ideally, it is best to give written notification of the meeting as soon as it is planned to give all participants ample time to schedule it in their calendars. Send participants a copy of the agenda and any supplementary documents at least one week prior to the meeting. This gives participants time to think about the meeting and come prepared. State in the notification that participants should send any additional information to all other attendees before the meeting or bring copies to the meeting.

Designate a coordinator of the meeting who manages the email questions and confirmations from participants. This could be you, the meeting planner, or an administrative assistant. Ask that participants confirm attendance with the designated coordinator only. This eliminates the multiple reply all email responses that become unnecessary email for others to manage. Establishing one coordinator also eliminates the email confusion of who will address the questions or concerns about a meeting, also eliminating unnecessary email trains.

Most email programs, such as Outlook, ACT!, and Lotus Notes, provide an electronic tool for sending meeting announcements to all participants. The individual sending the meeting announcement creates a new calendar entry and then invites attendees by inserting their email addresses in the To field provided (see Figure 9.2).

FIGURE 9.2 Shown here is an example of a meeting announcement created in the new calendar window in Outlook. To send a meeting invitation to other participants in Outlook, click the Invite Attendees icon in the toolbar located in the new calendar entry window. A To line is inserted to add other participants’ email addresses.

Each invited participant receives an email notification of the meeting, as shown in Figure 9.3. Sending a meeting invitation through this function allows individuals to accept or decline the invitation to the meeting. When the receiver accepts or declines the meeting, an automatic email response is generated to the sender, allowing easy tracking of confirmations from participants.

FIGURE 9.3 Shown here is a meeting invitation sent and received through Outlook. Click the Accept button located at the top of the email, and Outlook automatically adds the meeting to your Outlook calendar. A separate window also opens and asks whether you would like to send an automatic reply to the sender. Select Send a Response Now and click OK. An automatic email response is then generated to the sender, with Accepted or Declined in the subject line for easy tracking.

If the participant uses the same email software, accepting the invitation automatically adds the meeting to the participant’s electronic calendar, along with all the email text information (including attachments), in the notes section of the calendar entry. This feature eliminates the need for attendees to manually enter the meeting into their calendars.

If you do a lot of meeting planning, you can use software that provides further help with planning meeting logistics and registration:

To do list

   Assign a leader or meeting facilitator.

   Use a timekeeper to remind the group of time allocations.

   Choose a note-taker to capture meeting notes and track action items.

   Plan and prepare to be an effective meeting participant.

The leader or facilitator is the person who guides the discussion of the meeting. This role is key to the success of all meetings. The leader/facilitator should not dominate a meeting, but rather serve as the conductor who ensures the meeting and its participants stay on-track. The leader needs to be the catalyst to ensure that everyone at the meeting is involved and participating. This person can be the manager or supervisor of the group, or even someone outside the group, if that is more appropriate for the meeting content. The leader/facilitator should perform the following functions during a meeting:

Robert’s Rules of Order (www.robertsrules.com) is a guidebook written about formal parliamentary procedures for effectively guiding meetings. Establishing Robert’s Rules in your meeting can be highly effective, especially if you have no knowledge or experience running meetings or have difficult meetings to run. The guidebook has answers and procedures for just about every situation you might encounter in a meeting. Robert’s Rules are typically used during formal meetings, such as board of directors meetings.

Creating Ground Rules at Meetings

Setting up guidelines, or ground rules, governing the protocol of meeting participation can help you run a more efficient meeting. Developing meeting ground rules to be followed by all the participants is an especially good idea for new groups or meetings in which sensitive topics will be discussed. When a group establishes and agrees to guidelines, everyone becomes accountable for enforcing the rules.

Here are some examples of possible meeting guidelines to adopt:

•   No cell phone or PDA use during a meeting. (An exception might be to allow ringers to be turned to vibrate for urgencies and emergencies.)

•   No sidebar conversations with others.

•   The meeting will start and end on time, with breaks.

•   Let one person talk at a time. Minimize interruptions of others.

•   Defer unrelated issues and topics to be resolved at a later date. Some groups like to coin those items be put in a “parking lot.”

•   Keep the discussion focused and on track.

•   Make decisions by consensus (or majority).

•   Make statements, and then invite questions and comments.

•   Be open to everyone’s opinion and suggestions.

The timekeeper is responsible for making sure each discussion topic stays within the allotted time. This individual reminds those who are speaking how much time they have remaining on each topic and gives the leader periodic updates on the time remaining in the overall meeting. The timekeeper reminds everyone to stay on-track and limits interruptions and disturbances during meetings.

tip

Take your calendar with you to meetings, so you have your schedule with you when it comes time to set up the next meeting. Rather than emailing or phoning to set up the next meeting, it’s more efficient to do it at the close of the current meeting. Scheduling subsequent meetings is much easier when all participants have their calendars in front of them.

The leader/facilitator can also assume the timekeeper role, or it can be assigned to another meeting participant. I suggest rotating the role of timekeeper among participants throughout subsequent meetings. This rotation encourages all participants to be aware of the time and to share accountability for keeping the meeting on schedule.

Most group meetings should have meeting notes taken and distributed. Generating formal written meeting notes serves two primary purposes: First, it provides an accurate record of what transpired for historical purposes and for those individuals who could not attend. Second, it can be used to verify action items assigned and decisions made during the meeting so there is no confusion on those points at future meetings.

Trying to determine what happened at a previous meeting can be extremely frustrating when there is no formal written record. Having meeting notes resolves discrepancies over these points that might arise at future meetings.

I recommend typing meeting notes into a laptop during the meeting or recording the meeting on tape, if possible. This saves the hassle of transcribing handwritten notes later. Sometimes, individuals can’t read their writing or forget the complete train of thought on a discussion topic, especially if the note-taker waited too long to type the notes. Save time, and type meeting notes at the meeting. This then provides immediate access to the notes for other participants and those who could not attend the meeting.

The note-taker can be an assigned role, such as that of a formal secretary at board of director meetings, or it can be rotated among participants. Some meetings have one person whose sole purpose is tracking the meeting notes; that person doesn’t participate in the meeting discussion so he can concentrate solely on recording what is being discussed and decided. In addition to resolving discrepancies and generating a record of the meeting’s events, the note-taker also can help the group clarify discussions that become confusing, help participants reach consensus on next action steps, and distribute and file the meeting notes.

Even if you are not the facilitator, note-taker, or timekeeper, you have a job. Your job is to participate in the meeting. Being an active participant is important for ensuring the success of meetings. Everyone should know the basic skills used to conduct effective meetings to assist in keeping meetings on-track, focused, and productive.

Participants need to participate fully and be respectful in the meeting. They should bring to the meeting an open mind and listen to what is being discussed. They should respect others’ differences of opinion and ideas. If you disagree, ask questions of your colleagues first to better understand their position. If you are an extrovert, be sure not to dominate the meeting. If you are more introverted, be sure you let others hear your opinions. Be mindful not to interrupt others while speaking, and refrain from sidebar conversations with the person next to you while someone else is speaking. The golden rule of “treat others as you want to be treated” is something to remember when participating in meetings. And be on time. Let’s say it again, be on time!

Make sure you have read the agenda and come prepared with information, as needed or requested. If the agenda requires some brainstorming or ideas, be sure you have given those issues thought and come prepared to present your ideas. If attachments and handouts have been sent, take the time to review them before the meeting to help maximize discussion.

Dealing with Problems During Meetings

A wide variety of personalities in a group can present problems during a meeting. Most individuals are not aware of their behavior or need gentle reminders. Here are a few suggestions to help with common problems during meetings:

•   Talkers—Talkers are individuals who seem to go on and on and have difficulty getting to the point. Ask them before they start talking to summarize their comments in 3–4 minutes, or any other appropriate limited time.

•   Dominators—Dominators are individuals who always seem to have the “right” answer and dominate the discussion. Before they start talking, tell them that you appreciate their input but would like to hear from some other people in the room. Ask the dominator directly who else in the meeting would offer some good insight to the discussion at hand. It forces him to make the decision of who will talk next.

•   Wanderers—Wanderers are individuals who go off the agenda and begin to discuss unrelated topics, issues, and problems. Ask the wanderer whether she thinks the topic she has introduced is relevant for the meeting. Give her other options for addressing that particular issue, such as asking that the issue or topic be deferred to the agenda of the next meeting or be handled by a designated individual at a later date.

•   Outbursters—Outbursters are individuals who seem to explode or get angry at meetings. Tell the exploder you understand he is angry and frustrated, and repeat his position to him so he feels he has been heard. This sometimes diffuses the anger by acknowledging it and causing the outburster to think about his behavior. Ask the group whether it agrees with the person’s thoughts. If so, get others’ opinion. If not, ask that the discussion move back to the agenda. If the behavior is completely disruptive, it might be best to ask the person to leave the meeting for a short time or altogether.

To do list

   Write your meeting notes in your computer or spiral notebook as opposed to a legal pad.

   Track your action items from a meeting in your task list.

   Build accountability with your team

Note and record your action item in your designated task list at the moment it has been assigned. Action items are the number-one piece of information that gets lost in meeting notes. You might plan to add tasks to your task list after the meeting, but this just creates one more thing for you to do. When you get back to your desk after a meeting, you have email, phone messages, and colleagues all waiting for your time. Often, your good intentions to put those action items in your task list get delayed; then the tasks are forgotten. Simplify things by bringing your task list to the meeting and recording your action items during the meeting, as they are assigned. This habit will save you time and the hassle of trying to track action items after the meeting.

Be sure to date and code your meeting notes. Write the date and name of the meeting in upper-right corner of the paper pad for easy retrieval in the future. If you decide you want to track your action items in your meeting notes and not in your task list, consider coding those action items for easy reference. You can draw a star icon next to the action item or write the letter A next to it to stand for action. Another idea is to bring a highlighter to the meeting and highlight those action items in your meeting notes. If you have other pieces of information you write during a meeting, consider other consistent coding methods so information stands out.

Most individuals still like to handwrite meeting notes for a couple of reasons. First is the ease and quickness with which most of us can write. Second, writing notes has just become habit. If you are going to handwrite meeting notes, consider using a spiral notebook instead of a legal pad. A spiral notebook allows you to easily turn to the next page and keep meeting notes in a chronological manner. After half of a legal pad has been used, the remaining pages have a tendency to flip down easily, making it difficult to record on the last half of the tablet. Also, consider having one notebook for each type of reoccurring meeting. This makes it easier to refer to previous notes in the same notebook. If you maintain multiple notebooks for a number of meetings, be sure you keep all of them in an easy-to-reach place on your desk, so you can quickly grab the correct one as you are running to the meeting.

With laptops being so prevalent these days, consider taking your laptop to meetings and recording your notes electronically. This is especially helpful for individuals who type well. Taking notes electronically allows you to keep one document per meeting, eliminating the need to manage paper tablets. Also, if you use an electronic task list, typing on your laptop is easier than typing on the handheld. The other advantage to having your laptop at a meeting is the ability to reference other documents electronically. This saves the hassle of carrying paper files and notebooks to each meeting.

Computer manufacturers now make tablet PCs that have the capability to record handwritten characters and convert them into typed text in a Word document. This is especially useful for those who still like to handwrite and also want their meeting notes in an electronic format. For more information, product reviews, and comparisons on tablet PCs, visit the following websites: Tablet PC2 (www.tabletpc2.com) and Tablet PC Talk (www.tabletpctalk.com).

tip

If you have repetitive text, phrases, or words you want to appear with the touch of a few strokes, use the AutoText function in Microsoft Word. Open Word and type a word or phrase you would like to be automatically inserted. Highlight the word or phrase and select Insert, Auto Text, New. A new window opens with the text you highlighted inserted. Add or edit your text in the line provided and then click OK. When you begin typing the first few letters of that word or phrase, Word automatically inserts the full text for you. This is a great timesaver if you have a lot of repetitive phrases or words you need to type in a document.

When saving your electronic meeting notes, consider setting up a folder(s) within your directory and using a standard naming convention for documents. If you want to see your notes in chronological order, first insert the date in numerical format and then enter the name of the meeting—for example, 01-05-2006 Project Meeting Notes-Marketing Department. If you have regular meetings, consider creating a subfolder named with the year, and save all your meeting notes per each year, as shown in Figure 9.4. This arrangement lets you more easily view notes historically rather than in one line for multiple years.

FIGURE 9.4 Here is an example of how to save meeting notes electronically. Consider creating a subfolder for each year. Then, create a standard naming convention with the date inserted first numerically, so the meeting notes stay in chronological order.