One Meeting Minute Thought for Your Week
Despite what you might think, EVERY meeting has an agenda.
But, here’s the problem.
Only the best meeting leaders create their agenda at the right time.
There are 4 options when it comes to creating a meeting agenda.
And, you have the power to pick your timing.
You can create your agenda:
1. Before your meeting
When you create a detailed agenda as you prepare for your meeting AND distribute it to the participants in advance so they can also prepare, your meeting will almost certainly be productive and effective.
But too many meeting leaders choose one of these less-effective options.
2. When you start your meeting
You arrive at your meeting along with everyone else and realize you need an agenda.
So, you quickly create one in your mind and may even write it on the whiteboard.
This isn’t a terrible option and your meeting might go okay.
Or it might not.
3. During your meeting
You and the team immediately start talking about whatever fire happens to be burning the hottest at the moment.
And then realize after consuming most of your meeting time that this crisis doesn’t actually require or deserve your attention.
So, you throw together an agenda to salvage the remaining few minutes you have together.
Panic hit and distracted you.
Because you didn’t have a prepared agenda to keep you grounded and focused on the most important work to be done in your meeting.
Obviously, this is a bad option.
4. After your meeting
Unfortunately, this is when too many leaders build their meeting agendas – when it’s too late.
Your meeting is over and the team accomplished nothing.
Everyone was frustrated and left discouraged.
Now the clarity comes.
“Why didn’t I bring up X?”
“I meant to get input on Y.”
“We should have talked about Z.”
“Now I need to schedule another meeting to cover X, Y, and Z!”
Unfortunately, too many leaders unintentionally pick Option 4.
Your Choices For When To Create Your Meeting Agenda
All these times to create your meeting agenda are options:
1. Before your meeting
2. When you start your meeting
3. During your meeting
4. After your meeting
But Option 1 is clearly the best.
You can intentionally choose when you create your meeting agenda.
So do it BEFORE your meeting whenever you can.
The time you invest in advance will pay off big for you and your team.
More Resources to Help You Build Your Career and Your Business
If you want more tips on creating better meeting agendas and proven examples that work, this blog post, “How To Use Structure To Effectively Lead Meetings“ will give you what you need.
You’ll also learn in the article how to be productive, efficient, and confident while you’re leading the meeting too. (Click here to keep learning.)
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That’s All for this Issue
Plan when you will create your agenda for your next meeting in advance and avoid the mistakes made by too many other leaders.
You’ll begin that meeting with confidence knowing you’ve put in the work that will make it a productive and effective session.
Let me know how it goes for you.
And please share this issue of the Monday Morning Meeting Minute with a coworker so they can create their meeting agenda at the best time too.
Let’s lead with kindness and confidence!
Greg
Here are 3 ways I can help you when you’re ready:
- Get more free resources you can use today (Click here to Start)
- Improve on your own with digital courses (Click here to Improve)
- Accelerate your progress with coaching (Click here to Accelerate)
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