Agenda

Tips on Creating an Agenda

Contact participants before the meeting to find out if there is anything they want included on the agenda under new or old business. Ask participants beforehand how much time they need to give their reports.

Sometimes it is difficult to judge the timing on an agenda. Either be patient with experimenting on the timing, or be firm with the times in an effort to move the meeting along. One of the main purposes of creating a meeting agenda is to provide structure and help make the meeting more productive.

Reasons to Use an Agenda

A printed agenda is a useful tool to help the Secretary take minutes of the meeting, even if items in the meeting are discussed out of order. The agenda ensures that all business is covered, and leaves room for some flexibility.

An agenda can be used to prevent members, board members, and participants from monopolizing time in the meeting with irrelevant discussions and extensive grievances.

An agenda is an excellent meeting planning tool to keep meeting length to a reasonable time frame. A well-planned agenda also makes for more efficient meetings- especially when used in conjunction with Parliamentary Procedure.

The necessity of forming committees is sometimes brought about when meetings stray from the agenda. Committees can work on issues in separate meetings.

Each organization, committee or company has its unique structure and style of conducting business and board meetings, but the elements are always similar: call to order, reports, business discussions and decision-making, and adjournment.

Agenda template

The following is an agenda template for any type of board meeting.

Agenda Heading

7:30 a.m. Call to Order, Roll Call, Determination of a Quorum

7:33 a.m. Approval of Minutes (if no changes or amendments)

7:35 a.m. Report from Chairman

7:45 a.m. Officer Reports, Treasurer Report

8 a.m. Old Business

• Status of Project (Name of Chairperson)
• Adoption of Amended Resolution (Name of Resolution)

8:15 a.m. New Business

• Ratification of Agreement (Name of Agreement)
• Other New Business

8:50 a.m. Adjournment

Sample Agenda for a Business Meeting or Non-Profit Executive Meeting

A quorum is usually needed to vote on any use of funds, and the Secretary should take minutes including who is present and who initiates motions on the floor (if Parliamentary Procedure is used).

The following is an agenda template for any type of business or non-profit meeting.

Agenda Heading

7 p.m. Call to Order, Welcome Statement, Introductions

7:02 p.m. Roll Call, Determination of a Quorum

7:05 p.m. Approval of Minutes from previous meeting (if no additions or corrections)

7:10 p.m. Report from President

7:15 p.m. Officer Reports in order of rank

7:35 p.m. Old Business

8 p.m. New Business

8:40 p.m. Miscellaneous announcements for the good of the whole

8:45 p.m. Adjournment

Read more: http://workplaceculture.suite101.com/article.cfm/meeting_agenda_template#ixzz0On1C1CBM

Meeting agenda

A meeting agenda is a critical tool in meeting planning and time management.

Notice the elements and formats of the two agenda examples below are similar- time, opening and closing the meeting, discussion of old business and introduction of new business, and calling for reports in between.

Listing the time on an agenda is optional, but it can help keep the meeting on track, and encourage committee reports and officer reports to be concise and to the point. For most corporations and organizations, this will dramatically improve meeting time management.

Board Meeting Agenda Example

This sample agenda shows calling for reports from officers, times, and examples of types of old business and new business. The format reflects a formal structure where meeting minutes are approved if Parliamentary Procedure is used.

The agenda header should include the title of the meeting (e.g. Board Meeting, Meeting of Executive Directors, Executive Committee Meeting), the full name of the organization, the location, date, and time.

Roles of secretary in meeting...

After the chairperson, the secretary is the most important official at a meeting.

An effective secretary can assist the chair in planning, conducting and concluding a meeting. The secretary can take much of the load off the chair, so that the chair can spend his time more effectively and efficiently.

The role of the secretary starts before the meeting, continues during and beyond the meeting. Thus the preparatory, administrative, clerical and follow up work falls under the jurisdiction of the secretary.

Role of Secretary Before the Meeting

• 1. Discussion with the chair regarding the purpose of the meeting is the first responsibility of the secretary. How to make the meeting more effective?
• 2. Preparation of agenda in consultation with the chair.
• 3. Make a list of members to be invited for the meeting.
• 4. Send meeting invitation to all members concerned. The constitution and bylaws of the organization may stipulate a certain time period before which the meeting intimation should be sent. For example, a general body meeting may have to be informed one month before, a director board meeting, one or two weeks and an election meeting one month prior to the meeting.
• 5. Send minutes of the previous meeting and agenda to all concerned.
• 6. A reminder about the meeting to all members, either through e-mail or SMS. SMS is the most effective medium for this purpose.
• 7. Help chair in making the meeting arrangements; contacting the guests, if any; contacting the committee chairs and others who have to present reports during the meeting.
• 8. Prepare the report handouts, copies of the minutes of previous meeting, agenda printouts etc. for distribution during the meeting.
• 9. Get the stationery required for the chair and members and set it in front of each seat.
• 10. Keep the attendance register, minutes book etc. ready before the meeting.

Role of Secretary During the Meeting

• 1. Recording the minutes is the most important responsibility of the secretary during the meeting. This may be done in many ways: taking shorthand notes, recording the proceedings with a voice recorder or entrusting a short hand clerical staff to record the minutes. While using voice recorder, it is always safe to take down notes also; the recorder should be used as a review reference source. These recording should be copied to discs, labeled and filed soon after the meeting is over.
• 2. He should present the minutes of the previous meeting and also present the follow up action taken on each item.
• 3. Secretary will take the roll call or circulate the attendance register to be signed by the members.
• 4. In addition to the constitution and bye laws of the organization, the secretary should also have a copy of the Robert’s Rule of Order and assist the chair in keeping the order and decorum of the meeting.
• 5. Secretary should supervise the provision of refreshments, stationeries etc during the meeting.

Role of Secretary after the Meeting

• 1. After the meeting is over, the secretary should help the treasurer to pay off the bills, help the chair to send thank you notes and collect the stationeries and other movable assets of the organization from the meeting places. In most organizations, the secretary is the custodian of movable assets.
• 2. The minutes should be prepared within a couple of days after the meeting. It should be done when the memory is still fresh. Send a copy to the chair for suggestions. Once approved by the chair, prepare a plan of action and follow up notes depending upon the decisions reached at the meeting.
• 3. Contact persons responsible for carrying out the plans and projects discussed in the meeting; send notes whenever necessary.

The secretary, thus, is the facilitator of a successful meeting with lots of important responsibilities of his own.

Read more: http://non-profit-governance.suite101.com/article.cfm/role_of_the_secretary_in_a_successful_meeting#ixzz0OjvEbWJz

Roles of Chairman in meeting...

The primary role of the Chairman is to preside at the meeting and to ensure that the meeting is properly convened, constituted and conducted.

The Key Roles of the Chairman at General Meetings

• To maintain order throughout the meeting
• To ensure that discussion and issues raised during meeting are reasonable and within the
scope of the meeting and must not allow for discussion unless there is a motion before
the meeting
• To give equal opportunity to all present who are entitled to speak and to allow a
reasonable time for discussion before the motion is put to the meeting.
• To decide points of order and incidental question arising which require decision during
the meeting eg validity of proxy
• To ensure that the members present knows exactly what the motion or the amendment
that there are about to vote on.
• To call for a poll when demanded and declaring the result of the poll.
• To use the casting vote when necessary
• Declare an adjournment of the meeting when it has been validly adjourned, or if it is
proper for the meeting to be adjourned on the chairman’s own authority
• To declare the meeting closed when its business has been completed.
• To act in the best interest of the company at all times.

10 Worst Things to Do in a Meeting

1. Arrive Late.
Nothing says "I'm disorganised" like walking into a meeting which is already in progress. Arriving a few minutes early not only demonstrates that you respect your colleagues' time, but guarantees you get a good seat as well.

2. Be Unprepared.
If you've been given an agenda or materials beforehand, read them. Think of any questions you have or contributions you could make to the subjects being discussed.

3. Monopolise the Conversation.
When the discussion starts, it is good manners to let more senior figures contribute first. Once they've said their piece, make your points concisely. Don't drone on, or feel compelled to speak at all if you don't have anything useful to say. As the old adage goes, "Better to be thought a fool, than speak and remove all doubt."

4. Make Your Statements Sound Like Questions.
Phrasing your statements as questions invites others to say no, argue or take credit for your ideas. Make statements, such as, "Let's do more research on that."

5. Misread Signals.
Try to gauge the needs and mood of those in the room. Listen carefully to what people are saying to discern how receptive they might be to your ideas. You need to make your message relevant to your audience. For example, if everyone is focused on cutting costs and you're angling for a system upgrade, you'll either want to stress how the new software will save money, or table your request for another day.

6. Be Intimidated.
Unfortunately, some of your colleagues may view meetings as a battleground and themselves as verbal gladiators, sparring for the boss's favour. If you find yourself the victim of a put-down or accusation, calmly defend yourself. If you need to buy time to think, do so with a question that will make your attacker accountable. For example: "Andrew, when did you start thinking I don't care about our sales results?"
7. Chew Gum.
The smacking, popping, cracking and cow-like chewing are annoying. Plus, it's rude and unprofessional. Need we say more?

8. Keep Your Mobile Phone On.
You turn it off in restaurants and at the cinema. Turn it off for your meeting. A ringing phone interrupts the presenter and distracts the audience. And whatever you do, never take a call in the middle of a meeting.

9. Wander Off Topic.
Don't hijack the agenda. Stay focused on what you and your team are trying to accomplish. If you must digress into unrelated areas, make sure it's alright with the others present. A good way to handle important issues not related to the topic at hand is to record them on a flipchart and revisit them at an appropriate time.

10. Miss It.
Of course, you might get more done if you forgo a meeting to stay at your desk and do your actual work. But if the meeting was called by someone higher up in the organisation, you'll miss an opportunity to make yourself known. Remember, in the end, meetings aren't just about productivity; they are also about projecting a positive image and building professional relationships.

Sample Board Meeting Agenda

Sample Board Meeting Agenda -