Purpose, Agenda and Papers

Start with the purpose

A meeting exists to do something that cannot be done better another way: make a decision, resolve a disagreement, generate ideas together, or discharge a formal obligation. Information that could be circulated in writing does not need a meeting, and a great deal of meeting time is consumed by updates nobody needed to hear aloud.

As the person supporting the meeting you are frequently the only one thinking about its design, and asking “what does this meeting need to achieve?” is a legitimate and valuable question.

Building an agenda that works

• State the purpose of the meeting at the top.
• For each item give: the title, the owner, the time allowed, and — most importantly — whether it is for decision, for discussion or for information. This single addition changes how people prepare and how the meeting runs.
• Put items needing the most energy and the fullest attendance early.
• Group related items.
• Be realistic about time. An agenda with fourteen items in an hour guarantees that the last items get no attention, and they are frequently the important ones.
• Include a standing item for matters arising from the previous minutes, and one for any other business — bounded, so it does not become a second meeting.
• Circulate with the papers, in advance, with a clear deadline for contributions.

Papers

• Set a paper deadline before the meeting and enforce it. Papers tabled on the day cannot be read, and a decision taken on an unread paper is a poor decision.
• Require a short cover sheet for each paper: purpose, decision requested, and a summary. Members should be able to grasp the ask without reading the whole document.
• Number and reference papers so they can be cited in the minutes.
• Mark confidentiality clearly, and distribute securely.
• Send everything together in one pack rather than in a series of emails.

Logistics

• Book the room, the equipment and any refreshments, and check accessibility for anyone attending.
• For hybrid or remote meetings, set up and test the link, and ensure remote participants can hear, be heard and see any shared material. Poor audio degrades a meeting more than anything else.
• Confirm attendance and record apologies, and check quorum requirements if the meeting is formal.
• Circulate joining details, the agenda and papers in good time.
• Prepare an attendance list, name places for larger or formal meetings, and any register that must be signed.

Preparing yourself

Read the papers and the previous minutes. Understand the subject well enough to follow the discussion — you cannot summarise what you do not understand, and this is the difference between a minute-taker who records accurately and one who produces a list of disconnected remarks. Prepare a template with the agenda items already entered, note the names and roles of attendees, and clarify in advance any abbreviation or terminology you expect to hear.