How do you draw up an agenda for an effective meeting?

According to an IFOP study carried out with Wisembly, 1 in 3 executives admit to having fallen asleep in a meeting! At the same time, Barco and Circle Research's 2019 study says they're in meetings 27 days a year. So if executives are in meetings more than they're on vacation during the year, they might as well "make the most of it"!

Here's how to write an effective agenda for your meeting (and keep everyone awake).

What is a meeting agenda?

A meeting agenda is a list of topics to be discussed during a meeting. This document is useful whatever the type of meeting: team meeting, brainstorming or training.

It lists :

• meeting participants ;
• duration of the meeting ;
• topics to be discussed or work to be accomplished;
• the objectives of the meeting.

The agenda must be sent to all participants at least 2 days before the start of the meeting. For example, you could send the agenda to your colleagues on Monday for a meeting on Wednesday or Thursday. This gives them enough time to prepare and ask you for more information if necessary. There's nothing worse for an employee than to be caught off guard.

The recipe for a successful meeting agenda

Creating an effective agenda takes time and careful planning.

Don't wait until the last minute!

1. Define the objectives and name of the meeting

Meeting objectives

There are 3 possible objectives for a meeting:

1. to share information with the team ;
2. gather ideas and opinions;
3. debate in order to reach a decision.

Objectives must be clear in everyone's mind. If they are not known in advance by all participants, the meeting will have little meaning in their eyes... And that's when the dreaded snoring can start!

The meeting title

The title of the meeting should explain the "why" of the meeting. For example, it could be "definition of the editorial charter with a view to standardizing the company's communication policy". With this title, employees know what they are going to do (make choices) and why (define a guideline to be applied to all their communications).

2. Set a meeting duration

Even with an effective agenda, a meeting can easily turn into a fiasco if no rhythm is set. This is where the meeting organizer comes in, and plays a key role. He or she must estimate the time needed for each point to be addressed, in order to keep the meeting on track.

For example, if the meeting is scheduled for 50 minutes and 5 points are on the agenda, the time allotted to each point should not exceed 10 minutes. Unless some points require more time than others. But you get the idea!

Allocating a specific amount of time to each point will enable you to time the meeting precisely and keep the discussion moving.

3. List the points to be addressed and the time allotted

In theater, a classic play is made up of 3 or 5 acts divided into scenes.

To draw up an agenda for an effective meeting, you'll need to do what you do in the theater: define the topics to be discussed, the expected decisions to be taken, and the time allotted to each topic.

A concrete example

For example, you can

• review of existing content audit - 15 minutes ;
• benchmark of competing editorial strategies - 15 minutes ;
• definition of editorial charter objectives - 15 minutes.

Here, you have 3 points to address, a time slot for each point and a total meeting time of 45 minutes, which is reasonable. And yes: according to the Wisembly and IFOP study, everyone quits after 52 minutes. Drawing up an editorial charter is a lengthy process. It's best to break it down into several meetings.

Our advice: address the most important issues right at the start of the meeting. Participants will be much more focused than at the end of the meeting.

4. Allocate speaking time

If several people are to speak during the meeting, their speaking time should be defined in advance. This will avoid "manterrupting" (a word used to define the fact that a man cuts a woman off because of her gender). According to an Opinionway survey, 60% of women have felt left out of strategic decision-making processes. So, if you want a meeting to run smoothly and respectfully, you know what you have to do!

5. Put the finishing touches to your conclusion

To end your meeting on a high note, you can :

• briefly summarize how the meeting has moved things forward;
• give the date and name of the next meeting on the same theme;
• remind everyone of the actions to be taken individually, the famous "kifékoi".

Ideally, one person should write up these 3 elements on a set of minutes and send them to those who were absent. This way, they'll know what they missed and how best to prepare for the next meeting.

Sample agenda for an information meeting

Agenda for 02/02 meeting Date: February 02, 20XX Time: 10 a.m. Location: Zahia room Meeting title: "Team composition - France/Germany match (friendly)". Participants : Didier DESCHAMPS Franck RAVIOT Guy STÉPHAN Cyril MOINE Meeting objectives + time allowed: choice of regular and substitute defenders - 15 minutes ; choice of starting and substitute forwards - 15 minutes ; choice of holding and substitute midfielders - 15 minutes ; choice of starting and substitute goalkeepers - 5 minutes.

It is possible to add a more detailed description for each theme if required.

Drafting a meeting agenda: in brief

Whether virtual or face-to-face, meetings don't have to be boring. And agendas are there to give them rhythm and meaning!

We therefore advise you to get to grips with this tool today, to make your next meeting a real success.

Here's a summary of the steps you need to follow to create a successful meeting agenda for your meetings:

1. define the objectives and name of the meeting ;
2. set a meeting duration;
3. list the points to be addressed during the meeting and the time allotted;
4. allocate speaking time;
5. fine-tune the conclusion to end on a high note.

Now that you've settled the "how" question, let's move on to the "where". Here are the 10 most beautiful meeting rooms in Paris.

Do you work outside Paris? workin.space has offices all over France to help you find your future meeting/working space.