Making an Meeting Agenda

Definitions
Agenda -  a list of topics that will take place at a meeting. Agendas usually include the time given to discuss each topic.
Agenda item - a topic on the agenda.
Brainstorming - a creative process where people generate as many ideas as they can without evaluating them until later.
Facilitator - someone who coordinates the process of the meeting.
Go around - where each person around the room has a chance to speak briefly about the issue.
Minutes - the written record that documents the decisions and participants of a meeting.
Minute taker - someone who writes down the minutes and types them up for the group to review at the next meeting.
Process - the patterns of the group's interactions in the meeting, as opposed to the content or outcome of the meeting. 
Speaker's list - a list of who's turn it is to speak in a meeting. If someone wants to speak, they raise their hand or catch the attention of the facilitator. People are allowed to speak in order of when they put their hand up. This prevents people from interrupting others or talking a lot.
Tabling an item - putting off a discussion until the next meeting, often because of a need for more information or thought.
Timekeeper - someone who reminds the group of how quickly the time is slipping away.
 

1. Beginning the meeting
The first part of the meeting is the warm-up time for the group. People are settling in and focusing their attention.
It's best to quickly cover some easy ground during the initial stages of the meeting. This may include:

	selecting the facilitator, minute taker and time keeper
	approval of the minutes from the previous meeting
	changes to the agenda for this meeting
	introductions - essential if you have new members attending
	quick announcements
	a review of the "to do" list from the last meeting to see if people have completed their tasks
	reports - financial reports, reports from various committees about what they've been doing etc.
	easy decisions. Choose an item that is fairly clear and isn't likely to be too controversial. Item's with a yes/no decision are easiest - like approving a letter that's been drafted or accepting the recommendations of a subcommittee.

2. The middle of the meeting 
People will be at their best in terms of attention, attendance and alertness. This is a good time to get into longer, more difficult discussions.
This includes:

	business that's been tabled since the last meeting. It's been discussed before and hopefully people have some fresh ideas or information.
	new business - a new topic that requires complex decisions can be introduced here. Be sure everyone has background information. Try and focus the discussion on a decision to be made or action to be taken, for example, instead of discussing "our house is on fire", focus on "how can we put out the flames?"

3. End of the meeting

	People will likely be getting tired. Easier items should begin to emerge on the agenda, such as:
	Items for discussion only, a low pressure chance to brainstorm ideas. No decisions are expected to be made until the next meeting.
	Review what actions people have committed to, and when they are to do
	Set the time, date and place for the next meeting
	Have everyone briefly evaluate the meeting or comment on how they feel

A Sample Agenda
October 15th, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. 340 Harbord St.
Call Regan at 536-7999 if you can't make it.
2 mins  Choose facilitator etc.
5 mins Introductions
3 mins review and approve minutes
5 mins Announcements - grant received, demonstration next week, new mail and phone messages, meeting with finance committee for anyone who's interested.
5 mins Financial update
30 mins Committee reports. Updates from volunteer, publicity and fundraising committee. Discuss proposal from publicity committee for $500 advertising budget.
30 mins Events planning. We need to plan for the fall Open House. Please read background proposals (there are two). We need to define the purpose of the event, set a budget, date and location. Volunteers for a sub-committee to work on it are needed.
15 mins Constitutional review. Make suggestion to the sub-committee on changing our constitution and mission statement. For discussion only.
10 mins Approval needed for draft letter to The Star, and final draft of hiring policy.
5 mins Review of tasks.
5 mins Set next meeting date, time and agenda
5 mins Check out

by Regan McClure

Bibliography

The Perfect Meeting by David Sharman, Random House, London, 1993. An excellent, and brief, guide to holding meetings. Include formal and business-type meetings, as well as consensus and innovative techniques.

Effective Meetings by P. Hodgeson, Century Business, London, 1992. Another great guide to holding meetings, blending practical tips and general theory.

Chairing a Meeting with Confidence: An easy guide to rules and procedures by Kevin Paul, Self-Counsel Press, Vancouver, 1992. Very useful for official meetings - Annual General Meetings, Elections of a Board, deputations etc. Includes a simplified set of rules and loads of information on preparing for a meeting.