Mastering Communication at Work by Ethan F. Becker

Author:Ethan F. Becker
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education
Published: 2021-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

To Agenda or Not to Agenda

Every formal meeting needs an agenda. Participants need the purpose of the meeting, the subsequent topics, and the timelines sent in an email to everyone ahead of the gathering. Ideally, the facilitator checks the agenda’s direction with a few leaders before the meeting to make sure people are prepared. The agenda should be on a screen in the room, or as hard copies for in-person meetings, as the meeting starts. For virtual meetings, attach it to the platform’s file-sharing function, post it in the chat, or share your screen for a few minutes while doing the initial framing. Agendas do not need to be overly detailed or complicated.

Not every meeting, however, needs a written agenda. If your organization uses Agile methodology for project management, stand-ups have a regular pattern. They have a consistent agenda, and the scrum master—the facilitator in Agile—notes any changes before the meeting begins. One-to-one or small group casual meetings, whether regular or one-time, may not need a written outline ahead of time either. They do still need clarity at the beginning of the conversation about why each person is there.

Even for casual meetings, however, turn the agreed-upon topics into a follow-up email after the meeting. In formal meetings, always have the note-keeper or facilitator send out the results of the meeting. When people are busy, it is easy to let agreements slip because they weren’t documented. The same is true with causal meetings. Agree at the end who will document the conclusions. If you are the junior member of the meeting or the person who wants to rise, sending the follow-up email shows you are attentive and communicate intentionally. Leaders will remember your effort.

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