Checklist - How to get a good agenda
A good guideline is that the agenda should be finalized one week before the meeting and the preparation ensures that it provides an optimal basis for a successful meeting. The agenda is your most important tool for meetings and regardless of the number of participants, items and the time required per item, it is the agenda that ensures that you have a smooth, efficient and rewarding board meeting.
Here are some tips on how to create a good agenda:
- Create the agenda well in advance of the meeting
Make sure to finalize the agenda preferably one week before the meeting. Sort and prioritize items, set time limits and send out the agenda in good time to the meeting participants. - Collect information and reports
Collect and ensure that reports, quotes, information sheets and agreements that will form the basis for discussions are available to all participants well in advance of the meeting. It is recommended to have a Board portal that makes it easy for everyone to access meeting documents. - Follow up on previous meeting
Before creating the agenda, it is always important to look back at the previous meeting and to follow up on items that still have question marks with the relevant parties. - Send out a request for input
Before the meeting, preferably a couple of weeks before, it is good to ask for input from other participants and ask if there is something important that should be addressed or if there is someone who wants to present something new. - Prioritize points according to relevance
When all information and input has been collected, it is good to sit down in peace and quiet to prioritize points according to relevance. If there is any point that is not included, it is important to be able to justify it to the meeting participants. - Clear points
Make sure that the headings of the points are clear and structured so that each participant understands what it is about and the aim of the discussion. - Set a time limit for each item
To ensure a smooth, efficient and productive board meeting, it can be helpful to set a time limit for each item and try to follow it as closely as possible.
Here we provide suggestions for basic agenda items:
- Opening of the meeting
The Chair opens the meeting and welcomes the participants. - Present
The Secretary notes who is present. - Election of scrutineers
The Secretary proposes scrutineers for the minutes. - Approval of the agenda
The agenda of the meeting needs to be approved. If the agenda is detailed and well prepared, nothing new should be added. However, if an item needs to be added, modified or deleted, it will be done at this point. - Previous meeting minutes
The chairman reviews what was discussed during the previous meeting and presents the status of these items. If further discussion and decisions are needed, they are taken at this point. - Current meeting points
This is where you take up current points. It is good to be clear in the headings, so that the meeting participants easily understand what it is about and know what the goal of the discussion is. It is also important to have clear headings for easy traceability. - Other issues
Here you will find new issues that have arisen during the meeting, but are not on the original agenda. - Closure of the meeting
The Chair closed the meeting and thanked everyone for their participation.
The Board Portal helps you create a good agenda and meeting process.
With the Board Portal you can quickly and easily set a good agenda. You can enter the meeting time, send notices, attach meeting attachments and carry out the entire meeting process from agenda to signed minutes.
Want to know more about our Board Portal and what it can do for your organization?
Book a demo and try the Board Portal for 30 days free of charge with no strings attached.
During a demo you will:
- Review of the platform's features.
- Answers to questions and concerns.
- Tips on how to run your board work in a smart way with the Board Portal.
