Planning Meetings: The Agenda

Be specific about items. Indicate what the purpose of the discussion will be. Include explanations. This will help participants prepare. Flag items e.g. as "For discussion"; For agreement"; "For final decision".

• Items needing urgent decision first. (Time limit if urgent but minor)
• Logical progression
• Items needing clear thinking, mental energy, good ideas, first.
• Hold back items of great interest and concern. Means that the end of the meeting will be just as focussed as the start!
• Place the star item in the middle - to carry the meeting through when energy starts to flag.
• Place items that will produce agreement BEFORE items that will cause division.
• 90 minutes should be the maximum time for any meeting.
• Avoid the item "Other Business". This is an excuse for hobbyhorsing and time wasting.
• Don’t distribute masses of material in a meeting and expect the participants to read, absorb and make use of it in the meeting itself. Distribute important info beforehand. Keep handouts to a simple minimum