What is YOUR Agenda?
It amazes me how many project managers admit to running meetings without agendas. Most of these project managers know that a meeting agenda is an effective tool for running successful meetings. You can take most of them through this question line:
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Do you like to attend meetings?
Most will say no.
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Why don’t you like to attend meetings?
Here’s what many will tell me: they take too long, they take too long, and nothing gets done. I don’t even know why I get invited to most of the meetings I attend. People are using my time and my time is valuable, I could be doing something else.
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How could the meetings be improved?
Here are some common responses: The facilitator/leader must use an agenda. We must stick to the agenda. Tell me why I’m in the meeting. Start and end the meeting on time. Stay productive and focused.
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Do you use agendas for your meetings?
Of course I want to hear people say “Yes!” What I often hear is either sometimes, or not, or not always.
Oops, this is where we have a problem. How is it that so many of us know that we don’t like to attend meetings that have no agenda or purpose and still force such meetings on others?
Think about this, very often the first time your team members see you is at a kick off or pitch meeting. His demeanor at that meeting frames his first impression of you. If you are disorganized and don’t use their time well, do you think they are looking forward to working with you?
The best case is post your agenda with your meeting invitation or send it one business day before the meeting. If you don’t, try posting the agenda a few hours before the meeting. Don’t email the agenda ten minutes before you walk into the conference room and then be surprised when attendees haven’t seen the agenda.
If for some reason you did not post the agenda ahead of time, please bring copies and review them at the beginning of the meeting. If you do not have hard copies, go over the agenda verbally with the group at the beginning of the meeting. If possible, write it on a flip chart or white board. You want everyone to know why you are using their time.
Despite all your best efforts, not everyone will read the agenda. You can bite them and say, “Why do you think I post an agenda in advance?” What do you think this will bring you? It is definitely not a good way to build trust and respect in the team. You may want to consider assuming that no one has read the agenda and politely go over it with everyone when the meeting begins.
One last point, if you are asking someone to participate by providing information or bringing materials or making a presentation; be sure to contact them in advance.
Do not assume that they understood from the agenda what you need. Try to contact them and have a conversation about what you expect. Catching someone off guard or embarrassing them in the meeting isn’t very helpful to either of you.
So for those of you who say, “I don’t have time” or “I don’t have administrative support,” consider this; the agenda is a strategic tool. You make time for strategy, don’t you? Why not use this tool to plan and strategize what you need to get out of your meeting attendees? Why wouldn’t you want to use team meetings productively, so more work gets done in the meeting and fewer action items take place after the meeting?
Why wouldn’t you want people to look forward to your meetings? And why not use your ability to run effective meetings to enhance your professional image?
