Have you ever been to a business meeting and after 20 minutes wondered why you are even there? Are others who are there thinking the same thing. If your answer to these questions is yes, then you need some help. The following suggestions can increase the meeting's effectiveness.
Use a well-thought-out agenda. An agenda can inform you about what needs to be covered in a meeting, but it can also keep the discussions on track.
Prepare the agenda and send it out to the participants a few days before the meeting. This will help those who are there to prepare for the discussions and actions that need to occur during the meeting.
At the top of the written agenda, write the mission statement of your church or organization. This will remind the meeting participants of the ultimate "WHY" of the meeting. The team leader needs to remind the participants of the mission at the beginning of each meeting and at times during the meeting when discussing specific topics.
Keep the business agenda manageable in the allotted meeting time. Putting too many agenda items on the list will always leave unfinished business and frustrated participants. Allow for sufficient time for each agenda item, and if necessary, postpone or table items for a future meeting.
Sometimes it might be helpful to assign a time limit for each agenda item. Add the time limit to each agenda item.
If you are leading a church or ministry organization, include prayer time at the beginning and end of your agenda list. Through prayer, allow for the Holy Spirit to lead the discussion and the outcome.
If someone other than the team leader is needed to discuss an agenda item, make assignments for discussion leaders several days before the meeting and include in the assignment the time frame for discussion and the desired outcome.
Unless the meeting time is very restricted, put an "other" at the end of the list. This allows for additional agenda items to be added if necessary, or if the Holy Spirit leads.
Put an agenda item toward the bottom of your agenda list, "meeting accomplishments and assignments."
Include at the end of the meeting agenda an "evaluation of the meeting" item. Ask the participants such questions as "What should we have included that we didn't in our meeting agenda?" or "What have we accomplished in our meeting today?"
How can you help agenda planning in your work or ministry?
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