Mark Hamade

Most agendas for a meeting look like this.

* Budget

* Payroll

* Staff

* Sales

* Zvoufzxtn

Some people tell me, “That’s a perfectly good agenda. I know what all of those things mean, except, uh, ‘Zvoufzxtn’.” The point is, Zvoufzxtn means as much to you as the other terms mean to the other participants. For example, does budget mean increase the budget? Plan a budget? Report on the budget? Reduce the budget? Complain about the budget? Make fun of the budget? Or zvoufzxtn the budget?

A proper agenda specifies everything that the participants need to know to make the meeting effective. It should contain:

Goal: A clear description of the results expected by the end of the meeting, such as a decision, agreement, or solution.

Detailed list of topics: A detailed list of the activities that will be used in the meeting. This should be so complete that someone else could use it to lead your meeting. Indicate which participants will likely be the main contributors to a topic.

Background Information: Any information participants need to know in order to hold an informed discussion on the meeting topic.

Logistics: Everything that the participants need to know to contribute to an effective meeting. This can include directions to the meeting room, instructions on how to prepare, and a list of things to bring.

Lastly, an agenda should be followed closely. Doing so will allow you to conduct an organized meeting that achieves results.

Make your next meeting more effective by using a complete agenda.