The agenda lets your members know what you will be discussing at the meeting. Try to send the agenda out to your membership one week before the meeting.
Setting the Agenda
- Plan your time realistically
- Don’t squeeze too many items onto the agenda
- Set aside enough time for the important item, allow for the assignment and review of tasks
- Indicate when the meeting will start and end
Paring down the Agenda
- Does this item need to be discussed at this time, or is it on the agenda out of habit?
- Has enough preparation been done to allow members to make an informed decision on this item?
- How urgent is this item compared to other business? Can it wait?
- Is the person best able to lead the discussion on the item available and prepared?
With these questions answered, decide on the best course of action:
Deal with it—leave it on the agenda.
Delay it—to the next meeting.
Delegate it—to an executive member or committee.
Drop it—because it is outside the council’s mandate or not worthy of discussion
Sample Agenda
- Welcome/Call to Order
- Approval of agenda
- Guest presentation
- Minutes of last meeting
- Correspondence
- Reports
- Unfinished Business
- New Business
- Date of next meeting
- Agenda items for next meeting
- Adjoournment