There is a correct format which is used when conducting a professional/corporate meeting, did you know? In this following article we shall be discussing the right format to use when it comes to a meeting agenda.
Meetings don’t just happen. They have to be planned and then they have to, of course, be executed well enough. But then I’m jumping ahead of myself. Let’s focus on the concept of a meeting first. A meeting, as we all know, is held so that certain important pointers can be laid down. The main pointers can then be discussed well enough, the alternatives can be focused on, the varied paths of bringing the plan into action can be introduced and the final decision can be conveyed to all. Then of course there is the action plan that has to be focused on as well. That is the gist of what a meeting is all about.
This will give you an idea of why there has to be proper planning in place or else it can lead to a lot of confusion which will then prevent any quality work from taking place. That is where a meeting agenda format comes into play. When a proper meeting format is followed, it allows one to maintain an organized record of what was discussed in the meeting and the conclusion of the same along with allowing for several other benefits of the same. In this following article we shall be focusing on the proper format of a meeting agenda so that one is aware of how to go about it.
Benefits of a Meeting Agenda
When an agenda is put in place, the issues that are going to be discussed are clearly stated. The way in which this helps is that it allows the time for the members to be prepared for the meeting well in advance in whichever way that is required.
Along with following proper organization, a format for a meeting allows for increased efficiency and productivity from all its employees as well. This is brought into the picture because everything is well-organized and well planned. Therefore there is no wastage of time. It also allows for an action plan and therefore there is increased efficiency.
Simple Format
In the following section, we will focus on the important components of a meeting agenda and try to see how a successful meeting comes about.
Header
The header of the meeting will supply the preliminary details of the meeting which translate to the name of the company or organization, the date, location, time and place of the meeting as well as the scheduled time for the meeting to end. Along with this, stating the main objective of the meeting is absolutely necessary.
Body
The body of the agenda consists of the details of the meeting. The actual sessions that will be held and the allotted time for each of these sessions. For example, in some meetings there might be a session of ice breaker activities and then the paper presentations that have to discussed.
Conclusion
The conclusion will include discussing the decisions that were discussed as well as the action plan for the same. If there is to be a follow-up meeting after the current one then that can be announced as well.
Meeting Format Template
Board Meeting Agenda Template |
Name of Organization:……. Date:……. Time:….. Meeting Facilitator:……. Invitees:…….. Agenda of Meeting
Meeting Ended at:…….. |
These are some of the main fields that you can go on to include in the agenda. These fields will change according to the requirements of each individual meeting, like there might be an inclusion of an icebreaker session which will then have to be mentioned. But all in all, this is the format of a proper meeting agenda. Here’s hoping that you now have a basic understanding of what a meeting agenda format contains and how to go about planning it.