PRACTICAL READY MADE AGENDA ITEMS FOR YOUR NEXT MEETING

One sure way to lead lousy meetings is to rely on spontaneity. Never let spontaneity be an excuse for lack of preparation.

Spontaneity within a plan is more effective than spontaneity as a plan.

Potential agenda items:

At the beginning of a meeting:

1. The goal of this meeting is ….
2. The result of this meeting will be ….

Exploiting strengths:

1. Decide where we are winning and why.
2. Decide where we are most effective and why.
3. Determine our most profitable line of business.
   • Come up with three ways to expand our most profitable line of business.
   • Execute one way to expand our most profitable line of business.

Confronting waste:

1. Decide the main area where we are pouring more in than we are getting out. Adopt a short-term action plan to make improvements in that area.
2. Reallocate resources that are producing disappointing results, if #1 on this list doesn’t help.
3. Make a list of three behaviors/initiatives/programs we might stop. Determine how to address the top item on the ‘stop list’.

Maximizing customer experience:

1. Determine the story we want our customers telling about us.
2. What three things will we do this week/month to inspire the stories we want our customers telling about us?

Team development:

1. Complete this statement for the person to your right, “When I see you at your best, I see you….”
2. One way to improve our next meeting is….

Seizing opportunities:

Meeting one:

1. What opportunities might we explore? (Open discussion.)
2. Which of these opportunities seem most promising?
3. Who will do homework on potential opportunities and report at our next meeting?

Meeting two:

1. Report on potential opportunities?
2. What opportunities should we consider implementing?
3. Who will do homework on opportunities under consideration?

Meeting three:

1. Report on opportunities under consideration?
2. Which opportunity will we exploit?
3. What’s the next step? Establish clear action items and deadlines.