Preparing Meeting Documentation and Details

Watch the following video to learn about the characteristics of successful meetings.

How to organise a productive meeting

Meetings can take up a large amount of the working week and are often seen as a waste of time. It is essential for meetings to be a productive use of time that they have a clear purpose or outcome. Ask yourself before planning a meeting what the purpose of the meeting is. What will be achieved by holding the meeting? "We always have a meeting on Monday" is not a good enough reason to hold a meeting. If there is no clear purpose, there is no point in holding the meeting. Identifying the purpose of the meeting helps to clarify if it is really necessary and helps identify who should attend and to keep the meeting on track.

Meetings are held for many reasons, such as making decisions, generating ideas, making plans, and communicating and receiving information. Successful meetings are well planned and follow a process. Even short and spontaneous meetings between two people will be more productive if a few minutes are taken to think and plan before beginning the discussion.

In organising a meeting, your first step is to establish the purpose of the meeting so that you can determine the meeting's type and structure. There are different meeting structures for different purposes, but most are similar in the way they function.

Purpose

The purpose of the meeting is determined by the Chairperson (e.g. you, a fellow employee, your supervisor, or senior management) and their committee. It explains why the meeting is being held and what is to be dealt with. Depending on who the Chairperson is, you may have to provide information regarding the meeting. They will also be able to advise the style of meeting and the degree of formality required.

The Chairperson is also responsible for:

• Convening the meeting
• Introducing Agenda items
• Making sure discussion stays on topic
• Controlling the discussion
• Maintaining order
• Closing the meeting

The purposes of meetings can include:

To inform, give and receive feedback

Meetings can be held to provide information to a group of people. The Chairperson typically has factual information, a decision, or feedback that they wish to communicate. In addition, the Chairperson may ask for the meeting participants to provide them with feedback.

Conducting business

Meetings can be used for negotiating with external stakeholders, such as business partners, clients, and suppliers. Issues regarding business operations and productivity can also be discussed during these meetings.

Planning

Meetings can be used for planning undertakings in the workplace, such as projects. These are often discussed with your team members, where you can identify the goals, tasks, and priorities for each team member.

Consultation

Meetings can be used to discuss a specific decision and garner each participant's opinion of the decision. Other instances for consulting include policy reviews, ideas for continuous improvement, etc.

Review and Evaluation

In line with giving and receiving feedback, meetings can be held for reviewing and evaluating a team member's performance or a decision that affects the entire team. Here, you can identify areas of improvement and offer suggestions regarding your team member's performance or your team's decision.

There are a number of meeting structures that support different numbers of attendees, degrees of formality, and legality. For instance, an informal meeting held over lunch with your team will probably not require minutes, notes may be sufficient. On the other hand, an executive decision-making meeting would have predictable participants and may require strict observance of the rules set down by legislation and organisational policies. It goes without saying that the smaller the number of meeting participants, the faster the results. Understanding the structure of the meeting you are planning and the purpose to be achieved is crucial as it helps you determine the type of meeting required.

Structure

Meeting structures can be:

FORMAL

Formal meetings are pre-planned and have predetermined topics to be discussed and a set of objectives to be achieved. A senior executive presides, and members of the meeting are given considerable notice before the meeting, often in writing.

Formal meetings include an agenda that lists the items to be discussed in order. Action items or agreements of the group must be nominated by one participant and supported or approved by another; the whole group then votes. All of this is recorded in the Minutes.

Formal meetings often require a quorum — a minimum number of participants in attendance who are eligible to vote, to make a decision by the group binding. If a meeting proceeds without the correct number of participants, and votes are received, the vote will be invalid. The process of these meetings is taken from a book called Robert's Rules of Order.

Informal

Generally spontaneous, informal meetings typically take place in a neutral area such as a workroom or restaurant. There is little, if any, record keeping, and it does not require formal voting procedures. Informal meetings lack a notice of meeting or an agenda and are typically held to discuss issues that are not suitable for a formal meeting. Examples include the following:

• One-on-one meetings
• Team meetings
• Informational meetings, e.g. announcements

Self-managed

The self-managed meeting is one where the participants manage themselves, the goals, and the process very casually. This takes great maturity, as the participants will need to be aware of their current timeframes per discussion area and keep the meeting productive. There is little note-taking, but a formal report may be filed. Agreement is usually by consensus.

Structured

This refers to traditional boardroom-style meetings held for a large number of participants, such as conferences. It is where technological systems, such as PowerPoint and audio microphone intercommunication systems, are often used.

Meeting types

Some of the types of organisational meetings and their description are:

Regardless, if you must choose the most appropriate method for the meeting and one that is appropriate to the circumstance, seriously investigate teleconferencing and video conferencing if the participants are geographically at a distance or if they are so busy that leaving their office is a waste of time or causes inconvenience.

If there are strong feelings and emotions involved in the meeting content, face-to-face meetings are best. Face-to-face meetings allow participants to read each other's body language and determine non-verbal signals (e.g. tone) in their communication. In addition, participants can adjust their non-verbal cues as necessary to emphasise or clarify specific points in their discussion to avoid miscommunication.

Remember that a meeting can be a very productive way to achieve organisational outcomes and help the participants achieve their goals. After a meeting, all participants should feel satisfied with their level of participation and endeavour.

The reason for your meeting will determine the style of the meeting. If you choose a less appropriate structure, then the meeting may be less successful.

Watch the following video to learn how you can make your meetings more effective.

After the type and purpose of the meeting have been determined, you must now identify the legal, ethical, and organisational requirements that must be complied with when conducting business meetings. These requirements make up the meeting conventions, which refer to a set of rules that you must follow in order to efficiently and properly hold a meeting.

Legal Requirements

Legal requirements refer to any legislation or regulation that provide guidelines relevant to holding meetings. These include:

Age Discrimination Act 2004

This legislation prohibits discrimination on the basis of age in the workplace. Stereotypes about young and older employees can significantly influence decisions made in meetings, leading to harassment.

Other examples of age discrimination could include:

• Not including younger or mature employees because they will not fit in with other employees
• Making decisions around redundancy or forcing an employee to retire because of their age
• Bullying an employee because of their age

The Disability Discrimination Act (1992)

The Act requires that people with disabilities can access and use places open to the public and access any services and facilities provided in those buildings.

People with disabilities can face barriers to attending and participating in public functions in a variety of ways. They may experience difficulty hearing what is said, seeing small print on an invitation, climbing steps to the venue, understanding signage, or using a restroom in the building.

Public events need to be planned to ensure they are accessible to all members of the community. Consideration of aspects such as the venue, continuous accessible path to the venue, invitations, and hearing augmentation is important.

To assist event organisers and function coordinators in designing, planning, and conducting events accessible for people with disabilities, the Disability Services Commission has produced a booklet Creating Accessible Events.

Racial Discrimination Act 1975

Also known as the RDA, this legislation disallows discrimination against employees and potential employees in the workplace. In addition, the RDA protects employees from unfair treatment due to their association with a person of a specific race, colour, or national or ethnic origin.

Examples of racial discrimination include:

• Not including an employee from a specific racial group in a meeting due to racial stereotypes
• Not including an employee from a specific racial group in a meeting because of the assumption that they would not fit in
• Making negative comments about an employee's race
• Not providing an employee from a specific racial group a chance to contribute in a meeting due to their race

Sex Discrimination Act 1984

This is federal legislation that protects employees, especially female employees, from being dismissed in the workplace due to their sex, marital status, and potential pregnancy. This also protects employees from being sexually harassed and dismissed in the workplace due to any family responsibilities.

This ensures that none of the following instances happens during meetings:

• Leering or staring
• Inappropriate comments or jokes
• Sexual insults
• Intrusive questions about an employee's private life or body
• Lack of opportunity for an employee to contribute to a meeting due to their sex
• Dismissal of an employee's contributions to a meeting due to their sex
• Exclusion of an employee from a meeting due to their sex

Privacy Act 1988

Also known as simply the Privacy Act, this legislation aims to promote and protect employees' privacy. This includes regulating how Australian Government agencies and any organisation with an annual turnover of more than $3 million handle personal information.

This Act allows employees to do the following:

• Know why their personal information is being collected, how their information will be used and who it will be disclosed to
• Have the option of being anonymous or using a pseudonym should circumstances need them to
• Ask for access to their personal information, including their health information
• Ask for any incorrect personal information to be corrected
• Make a complaint about their organisation should the organisation mishandle their personal information

Workplace Health and Safety Act

This Act involves the management of risks to the health and safety of your organisation's employees, customers, visitors, and suppliers. This Act ensures that your organisation does the following:

• Provide a safe work environment
• Provide and maintain safe equipment, machinery, and structures
• Provide safe methods of working
• Ensure the safe handling and storage of machinery, equipment, structures, and substances in the workplace
• Provide and maintain sufficient and adequate facilities
• Provide any training, information, and supervision needed for safety
• Observe and monitor health conditions at the workplace

Be sure to check the applicable WHS legislation in your state/territory.

Ethical Requirements

Ethical requirements refer to any requirements that dictate how you should behave when holding a meeting. These requirements can be legal (e.g. Codes of Practice) or organisational (e.g. Codes of Conduct.) Ethical requirements include:

Codes of Practice

Industry codes of practice provide practical guidance and advice on achieving the standard required by Acts and regulations. Codes of Practice are developed through consultation with representatives from industry, workers and employers, special interest groups, and government agencies.

A Code of Practice is not law, but it should be followed unless an alternative course of action achieves the same or better standards. Employers, workers, designers, manufacturers, and suppliers should use the code of practice in conjunction with the Act and regulation.

Codes of Conduct

Codes of conduct are organisational documents that elaborate on the kind of behaviours that employees are expected to demonstrate in the workplace. These documents apply to employees of all levels within the organisation, from low-level employees to supervisory employees.

Organisational Requirements

Your organisation may have requirements for holding meetings. These can include policies and procedures for the following:

• Preparing for meetings
• Chairing meetings
• Presenting
• Negotiating
• Minute-taking
• Distributing and storing meeting documentation

Regardless of the structure and type of your meeting, consideration must always be given to safety. Here are a few points to consider and discuss with your committees:

• If your meetings are held in rented or borrowed premises, find out about public risk and your liability; arrange public liability insurance coverage; update it regularly and remember always to promote injury and accident prevention.
• Consider access and equity issues for gender, disability access, the young, old or the infirm — promoting safe meeting access and the environment is just part of participation.
• Undertake Safety Audits of your facilities at least annually and have First Aid trained personnel in attendance.

The next step is to understand the actual requirements. To do this, you must understand your meeting's type and purpose.

The number of participants influences the choice of meeting style. The greater the number of participants, the more structured the meeting. Without structure, little would be achieved.

To decide the number of participants in some meetings is easy. The Annual General Meeting will include the Chairperson, Executive, Committee Members, and shareholders. It may be open to the public, and there may be guest speakers. Staff meetings will typically include the team members and the manager.

The most effective meetings are those with smaller numbers of participants. Decision-making teams need the people (who see the concept) and the details, but not every person interested. Creative, idea-generating meetings will require enough people to provide energy to generate ideas. With these in mind, you must discuss the anticipated number of meeting participants with the Chairperson or initiator of the meeting.

Never forget the purpose of the meeting, and if you are aware of any special needs of participants and presenters, you can start to consider how best to organise this meeting.

Preparation

You can organise your meeting by preparing the following items:

Venue set-up

This involves chairs and tables, which must be arranged according to the number of participants. Other items for your venue set up can include the following:

• Stage/podium for the Chairperson or initiator of the meeting
• Electronics and equipment
• Extension cords and power bars for equipment

Seating/room configuration

Many configurations can be chosen for a meeting room. Which one you choose will depend upon the type and purpose of the meeting. Before making a decision, you will need to consider:

• Will there be a speaker or audio-visual presentation?
• How many attendees need to be accommodated?
• How long is the meeting expected to be?
• Are attendees expected to take notes?
• Are attendees expected to participate in activities during the meeting?

Registration items

These refer to items that can assist in recording and confirming your participants' attendance at the meeting. These items can include the following:

• Attendance sheets
• Identification/name tags
• Handouts (e.g. agenda, fact sheets)
• Feedback forms  

Facilitation materials

These refer to items that the Chairperson or initiator of the meeting may need to facilitate activities. These materials can include the following:

• Facilitation plan and instructions
• Pens, markers, and other writing materials
• Tape, scissors, and other tools

Catering and refreshments

These refer to food and beverages, which will be served to your participants at the meeting. If you are providing catering, it is essential that you check for any special requirements. Most venues are happy to cater to special requirements but must be informed in advance to prepare. Some of the common requirements for catering are:

• Vegetarian/Vegan
• Allergies (e.g. nuts, eggs, dairy)
• Religious requirements (e.g. Halal, Kosher)

It is critical to ask participants if they have any special needs well in advance of the meeting. Failure to do so can not only create offence and jeopardise the success of your meeting, but it can even be fatal in the case of specific allergies.

Aside from the food itself, the following items must be prepared:

• Cups and pitchers
• Trays and plates for food
• Serving and eating utensils

Amenities

These refer to features within the venue's location that can be useful to your participants. This can include the following:

• Wi-Fi
• Parking space
• Room service

Your arrangements must ensure that the meeting flows smoothly and achieves its outcomes. The time and effort you put into preparation will guarantee that the participants are well-prepared and comfortable, resulting in increased efficiency. There is a lot of responsibility on your shoulders. These meeting arrangements will be based on your meeting and participant requirements.

Meeting Requirements

Meeting requirements refer to essential conditions that must be arranged based on the type and purpose of the meeting to be conducted.

Here are a number of your meeting requirements:

Budget

This refers to a financial plan that takes into account your current and future revenue and expenses. You need to know your budget before making arrangements. Understanding the limits and expectations helps you to make the best choices.

There are several steps you can take to decide the budget for your meeting. These steps include the following:

1. Consider your meeting structure

   Start by identifying the structure of your meeting so that you can design it around your available resources. For instance, you may be hosting an informal team meeting with a $2,500 budget or a formal user conference with a $200,000 budget. Your meeting's overall budget may come from a supervisor, the finance department, or your own budget.

   Another factor that can help you in this step includes researching and evaluating similar past events. Check your organisation's records of previous events that are similar to your meeting. These records can provide a point of reference that can help you determine your budget.

2. Estimate costs

   List down the resources that you will need in your meeting. This can include the venue, food and beverages, and transportation. Arrange these resources according to their level of expense (e.g. high-level, low-level). The higher the level of expense, the more costly the resource will be.

   Once you have identified the resources with a high-level expense, you can portion these resources into smaller items to help you estimate the cost more accurately.

   For instance, if the venue is one of your resources with high-level expense, you can break down your venue costs into the following items:

   • Location rental
   • Equipment rental
   • WiFi
   • Venue-specific staff
   • Security

   

   In addition, you can also research and contact vendors for quotes as you list down your resources. This will help you ensure that your projected costs are reflected in vendor quotes and ease your way into the next step.

3. Finalise your budget

   Finalise your budget by signing contracts with vendors and taking note of your actual expenses. Taking note of your actual expenses will show how your resource costs are adding up against your total budget.

   Aside from noting the actual costs of your resources, it is important that you set aside a contingency fund. While this typically depends on the size and complexity of your meeting, you should allot at least 20 per cent of the total budget for contingencies. Ensure to have your contingency fund approved by your supervisor or any relevant overseeing personnel so that they are aware and prepared for the contingencies as well.

4. Settle and evaluate costs post-meeting

   Once your meeting has ended, you will need to review your budget and contracts to settle all financial obligations. In reviewing your budget, you must identify your savings and over-expenditures. Highlight any savings in your actual budget to help you determine budgets for future meetings. Note down over-expenditures and investigate the reasons for these. Identifying these expenses can help you avoid overspending in future meetings.

• Choosing a Date
  The date may be given to you, or it may be set by convention or constitution as in an Annual General meeting, or you may be required to arrange an appropriate date with participants. If this is the case, choose at least two dates. When you begin to find accommodation, you will have the liberty of choosing the best options. Alternate dates also mean you can negotiate for better prices if you are going off-site.
• Location
  Should the meeting be held on-site or in a venue? Think carefully about this point. Convening the meeting on-site may seem cost-effective, but there are many distractions. Email, voice mail, and other staff intrusions can interrupt the progress and focus. Off-site locations allow all participants to relax and focus on the agenda.
  When choosing your venue, you must ensure that it meets the following criteria:
  • Be accessible to all participants.
  • Have sufficient capacity (e.g. a hundred to a hundred twenty-five meeting participants).
  • Have enough space for interaction.
  • Be easy to navigate.
  • Contain equipment that is reliable and easy to use.
  • Be flexible for activities (e.g. breakout sessions).
  • Be clean, adequately furnished, and aesthetically pleasing.
  • Have attentive, competent staff
• Meeting Equipment
  The advent of electronic communication tools has changed the face of meetings. In addition to tables, chairs, and a whiteboard, there are data projections, teleconferencing, video conferencing, and online needs for those attending and bringing their laptops or tablets. Participants may need to record notes and ideas during the meeting. An Internet connection is becoming standard. Will video conferencing tools be available?
• Catering
  When planning a meeting over a meal, think about the agenda and the timing. A business breakfast should be reserved for urgent topics and last no more than an hour. If any meeting is scheduled over a mealtime, then catering must be included, or the venue must be close enough to a range of food outlets to allow participants to eat. A break for morning or afternoon tea, including tea, coffee, water, juice and biscuits is probably the minimum that you can offer.

When you have decided what services you require, it is time to obtain quotes and check your budget to see what can be afforded. Two quotes are considered an acceptable measure of comparison, although three is better if you have the time.

When requesting a quotation, request a written quote. Include all of the usual details, including collection, return and payment methods, how to get help if there is a problem, what is included, what is not. Use contingencies and build in how these could be addressed.

Compare the prices when you receive the quotes and look at services such as equipment hire. Sometimes, the collection and return can cost more than accepting a slightly more expensive quote from the venue. Be prepared to negotiate if appropriate. The quote you accept should be confirmed in writing.

Participant Requirements

Participant requirements refer to essential conditions that must be arranged based on the participants of the meeting to be conducted. Your participant requirements can include the following:

Travel arrangements

These refer to preparations that must be made for your participants to travel to the venue of your meeting. These can include flight arrangements, bus tickets, or travel fares and are typically arranged according to your meeting venue's best route and mode of transportation.

Meals and beverages

These refer to the types of food and drink that will be served to your participants. When making arrangements for meals and beverages, ensure to consider any dietary restrictions or preferences that your participants might have. For instance, you may want to prepare vegan meals if some of your participants are on a vegan diet.

You may also want to note other dietary restrictions when preparing a menu, such as:

• Food allergies
• Diabetic
• Kosher
• Halal
• Gluten free
• Lactose intolerance

If making catering arrangements, keep the following questions in mind:

• How many participants will need to be served?
• What is the ethnic makeup of your participants and their backgrounds?
• Do your participants have dietary restrictions?
• Are the food and beverages appropriate to the structure and atmosphere of your meeting? For instance, if you are hosting a formal meeting, you may avoid serving soft drinks and serving water or coffee instead.

Transport

Similar to travel arrangements, these are preparations for your participants to travel to the meeting venue. However, this includes considering available vehicles; you will need to verify that there are enough vehicles to transport your participants to the meeting and that they will have a place to stay for the night.

When preparing transportation arrangements, you must check the following items:

• Number of participants
• Location of the venue
• Pick-up points
• Available routes (e.g. route from pick-up point to the venue, route from venue to accommodation)

There are several questions you can ask when considering transportation:

• How will participants get to the venue of the meeting?
• Are there available parking spaces at or near the venue?
• Would it be more cost-efficient to provide shuttle service?
• How far is the meeting venue from the arranged accommodation?
• How will participants travel from airports, meeting venues etc to the accommodation?

All travel costs, including taxis or buses, are usually included in your budget, so consider carefully.

Accommodation

These refer to your participants' temporary lodgings. When looking for possible accommodations, check first if your organisation has hotel policies. These documents can help you see if there are any preferred hotels from which you may also get a good deal. Be sure to also pay attention to amenities, such as Wi-Fi, room service and meal schedules.

There are several questions you can ask when considering accommodations:

• Does the chosen accommodation offer discounts for group bookings?
• Who is responsible for booking the accommodations of the participants?
• Will overnight accommodation be required?

Take note that when identifying who is responsible for booking the participant's accommodations, the person responsible could be the Chairperson (e.g. you, a manager, etc.) or an individual from the participant's side.

Technology/equipment

Any technological needs such as projectors or smart boards should also be booked well in advance of the meeting. This will allow you to ensure they are available and give you time to make other arrangements if not. Any equipment should be checked to make sure it is functional and compatible well before the meeting.

Aside from your meeting arrangements, you must also prepare the following documents according to your organisation's requirements:

Notice of meeting

This document informs all participants in advance of an upcoming meeting. The meeting's date, time, and venue are specified, along with the meeting's type and purpose.

Agenda

This is a document that contains details on what topics will be discussed in the meeting. Agendas state the schedule and sequence of events that will take place during the meeting and helps to keep the meeting on track. Agendas can be prepared by the Chairperson or by someone instructed by the Chairperson.

Meeting papers

These refer to documents that ensure all meeting participants are well-informed about the meeting's purpose and agenda. These can include minutes, policy documents, and handouts.

Make sure to check and follow your organisation's requirements for preparing these documents for meetings.

Getting Down to Business

Preparing the Notice of Meeting

When preparing a notice of your meeting, there are three general steps you can follow.

These general steps include:

1. Use a general four-point format for the heading of your notice. This should include the following items:

   • To
     This item should include all individuals who are invited to your meeting.
   • From
     This item will list your name and job title.
   • Date
     This item should contain the date when the notice is distributed.
   • Subject
     This item should include the purpose of the meeting. This can be written in two to three words, such as 'Manager’s Meeting,’ for example.

2. Provide the purpose of your meeting in the opening paragraph and include all basic relevant information (e.g. time and location.) For instance, the purpose can be written like this:

   The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the revised employee incentive plan. The meeting will be held in the boardroom and start at 2:00 PM and end at 3:00 PM. Attendance is required for all managers and supervisors.

3. Step 3 - Provide a summary of what will be discussed during your meeting in the body of your notice. If possible, keep the information short and leave items that will be discussed at the meeting. For instance, your summary can be written like this:

   As a result of your feedback, the organisation will commence the revised employee incentive plan on April 2, 20xx. This new plan will reward our sales teams, rather than just individuals, when they achieve monthly and quarterly goals. We acknowledge the advantage of our sales employees working in teams and hope to promote this trend with financial incentives.

In developing the notice of your meeting, it must satisfy a number of conditions. These conditions include the following:

• Have the approval of the proper authority, i.e. it has the Chairperson’s approval.
• State the name of the organisation to convey that the meeting is official.
• State the date, day, time, and venue. If the venue is an external location (e.g. a restaurant, external meeting room, etc.), there must be instructions to reach the venue.
• It should be well in advance. Some notice periods require a week’s notice. Ensure to check your organisation for more specific notice periods.
• Clearly state the purpose and the agenda, if possible.
• Include the date of circulation and the Chairperson’s signature.
• To be delivered to all attendees during the conference.
• Include the travelling/daily allowance (TA/DA) and other expenses and arrangements for the meeting.

Preparing the Agenda

An agenda has a significant influence on the success of your meeting. To achieve the meeting goals, your agenda must be organised, well structured and carefully planned. The agenda is the place where it all comes together. The agenda allows the participants to be prepared by informing them of the items to be included.

Typically, this would include:

• Welcome
• Date, time, and location of the meeting
• Statement of the meeting’s purpose
• Meeting goal
• Minutes of the previous meeting
• Matters or business arising from the minutes
• Correspondence
• Major agenda items
• Discussion points
• Action items
• General business
• Reports
• Date of next meeting

Although not all of these products will be included, the majority will. This is one of the ways to ensure that the proceedings are handled in an open and transparent manner.

Of particular note are these three parts of the agenda:

Meeting goal

The meeting goal is used to inform participants of what the organisation aims to achieve by conducting the meeting. This can include information on the main topic of the discussion, decisions to be made, or knowledge to be shared with participants.

Discussion points

The discussion points are used to give participants an idea of the structure and flow of the meeting. This can include an outline of the topics to be tackled during the meeting, often written as questions and prioritised based on importance or logical flow.

Action items

Action items are initially left blank and are completed at the end of a business meeting. This is a list of tasks that specific people must complete within a designated amount of time, based on the results of discussions during the meeting.

You will need to check with the Chairperson to see if there is any material that must be supplied with the agenda when it is dispatched, and also if there is any material to be handed out at the meeting. Always print an extra copy and have it at the meeting.

A meeting agenda should:

• Ensure all participants are adequately prepared for the meeting.
• Ensure each agenda item achieves the desired outcome.
• Save time during the meeting.  

It is a good idea to ask participants to submit all agenda items at least two days before the meeting and to advise the time they would like to present them. When you have all the agenda items, create a three-column table. Each column can have a heading. Column 1 could be Agenda Item, Column 2 Presenter and Column 3 Time. Make sure that the items do match the goals of the meeting. If not, suggest that they be included at a later date. Also, be realistic about the time allocations. Better to finish early than late!

An example of a form you may use to receive agenda items might look like this:

A well-planned and informative agenda will greatly aid the productivity of the meeting. If supporting material is dispatched prior to the meeting, participants will have time to consider and form questions and opinions in advance. An example of a template you may use to create the agenda might look like this:

Preparing the Meeting Papers

As discussed earlier in this section, meeting papers can consist of several documents, such as minutes, policy documents, and handouts. Your meeting papers include other documents such as the following:

• Glossary of terms and acronyms
• Code of ethics / codes of conduct
• Previous meeting minutes
• Presentation papers
• Action sheets
• Progress reports

Glossary of terms and acronyms

If your meeting will include discussions involving technical terms and acronyms, it is best to provide a list of these terms with a short description or definition. This is useful when you have attendees who are not familiar with specific technical terms and acronyms. This will help your attendees follow the direction of the meeting better and allow them to understand the discussion.

Code of ethics/codes of conduct

These documents contain standards or rules of behaviour that guide the decisions and operations of an organisation. These documents are typically used in board meetings and business meetings. Code of ethics and codes of conduct inform attendees of the expectations that they must adhere to when participating in the meeting. If all attendees adhere to these expectations, this allows for a more productive and efficient meeting.

Previous meeting minutes

Previous minutes provide a list of action items from the previous meeting, which can be used as a reference for your current meeting. During your current meeting, you can check if these action items have been achieved, and if not, you can discuss how these action items can be met with the meeting participants.

Presentation papers

You may have meetings that include presentations. Supplementary materials, also known as presentation papers, may be distributed among attendees. These papers contain a record of what is being presented, which can help attendees follow the meeting better. These papers can also assist your attendees in noting down important discussion items that are helpful for future reference.

Action sheets

Similar to previous meeting minutes, action sheets contain a list of action points of the previous meeting. While action sheets provide clarity and help organise agendas, action sheets are not mandatory. Aside from action points, action sheets also contain a short status description on each item, making it easier to go through these action points during the meeting.

Progress reports

Team members write these reports at the end of a timeframe (e.g. weekly, monthly). Progress reports are used to determine the status of your team members in relation to their tasks. In addition, progress reports help facilitate discussion and effective project management during meetings. These typically include an explanation or description of the following:

• Tasks that have been completed
• Tasks that are currently in progress
• Tasks that will be started/worked on in the future (e.g. tomorrow, next week)

It goes without saying that before dispatching any material relating to the meeting, it must first be checked for spelling and accuracy. It would be helpful to have someone else check your drafts so that all can be corrected. The information you present will give the recipients an impression of your organisation and what can be expected from the meeting. Make it the best!

Now that the date, time, venue and other arrangements are confirmed, you should invite the participants. When inviting meeting participants, ensure to invite them at least a month or a week before the meeting. Inviting your participants early will provide them with time to prepare for the meeting. If there are presenters or others who are important to the success of the meeting, a written invitation following a telephone call is best.

When distributing invites and other documentation to your meeting participants, you must keep designated timelines in mind. These timelines are typically dictated by your organisation’s requirements and are likely to be found in their policies and procedures for meetings.

For example, Annual General Meeting participants will require notice of about a month by law. The exact timeframe may be noted on the agenda. The pre-reading material should accompany the agenda. If it is a public company, time will have to be allowed to communicate with shareholders and may involve advertising.

Another example includes Aussie Tool Shed’s meeting procedures which state that notices and agendas must be sent out at least twenty-one days before the scheduled meeting. By distributing these meeting resources in advance, you give your attendees time to prepare and confirm their presence. In addition, this allows you to organise your meeting papers so that you will be able to use them efficiently during your meeting.

All other meetings will require different timeframes. Consult with the Chairperson of the meeting to agree on when and how invitations should be sent; the Chairperson of the meeting typically identifies the designated timelines in which you must distribute invitations and other meeting documentation (e.g. notice of the meeting, agenda, meeting papers) to the meeting participants. This is due to the Chairperson’s role as the presider of the meeting and being a representative of the organisation should the meeting include external stakeholders.

When distributing meeting documentation and details, you can use the following general, communication methods:

• Oral
• Written
• Online

Oral communication

This includes phone calls, presentations, and face-to-face communication. Face-to-face communication can include meetings and one-to-one conversations, where you can discuss specific details of the meeting and any documentation required. Oral communication also allows you to clarify any vague items to your meeting participants immediately.

Written communication

This includes documents such as letters, memorandums, faxes, and reports. While these primarily contain text, these can include visuals to help illustrate specific details about the meeting (e.g. a map of the venue). When distributing meeting documentation and details through written communication, make sure that these are free from errors and are written in a clear, logical order.

Online communication

This includes mediums such as email, instant messaging, forums, and intranet websites. The online communication method you choose will depend on the structure of your meeting. For instance, if you are hosting a formal meeting, sending meeting details and documentation to your participants through an email blast is ideal. Email applications typically have an integrated calendar that can be used to remind your participants of your meeting date.

Aside from email, announcements on intranet websites can also be used to communicate details for formal meetings. Meeting documentation can be stored within intranet websites and can be made accessible to participants through a link.

For informal meetings, it is ideal to post details through instant messaging or forums as these allow you to communicate with participants quickly. These methods also allow you to immediately clarify any vague items about the meeting details with your participants.

Your organisation may have preferred methods of distributing invitations, meeting details, and documentation. Be sure to check and follow your organisation’s requirements for distributing invitations, meeting details, and documentation.

Prior to your meeting, you will need to confirm the presence of any resource you may need. When you confirm your meeting resources, you are affirming that these resources will be present during your meeting.

This can include the following:

• Meeting papers
• Meeting venue
• Equipment
• Catering
• Transportation

Meeting papers

As discussed in a previous section, your meeting papers can include the following documents:

• Glossary of terms and acronyms
• Code of ethics/codes of conduct
• Previous meeting minutes
• Presentation papers • Action sheets
• Progress reports

A spare set of documents is essential; if a participant has lost or forgot theirs, another copy will be required.

Meeting venue

This refers to where your meeting will be held. When confirming your meeting venue, you must coordinate with the person who owns the venue to recheck its availability. This is so that you can ensure that the venue is not double-booked and meets the following criteria to be sure that the venue is ready for the meeting:

• The venue is clean.
• There are enough chairs and tables for the confirmed participants.
• The venue’s lights and air conditioning systems are functioning.
• The venue’s equipment is functioning.

Equipment

This refers to the tools that will be used during your meeting, such as audio-visual equipment (e.g. microphones, speakers, projectors) and videoconferencing tools. You must confirm that these tools will be available during your meeting and that these tools are well-maintained and functioning. Confirming the availability and quality of your equipment ensures that there will be little chance of technical difficulties or failures during your meeting.

Catering

This refers to the food and beverages that are typically served during meal breaks in your meeting. When confirming the catering for your meeting, you must coordinate with the caterer and confirm the following items:

• Will the food arrive on time?
• (Once the food has arrived) Is the order complete?
• Are there enough utensils for the participants?

Transportation

This refers to the method by which your participants will arrive at your meeting venue. These can include airport pick-ups and drop-offs, shuttle services, cab services, and personal vehicles. When confirming the means of transportation for your meeting, you must do the following:

• Coordinate with the driver or the organisation providing the mode of transportation.
• Update the meeting participants about the pick-up point.
• Check with participants if they will arrive at the airport or the station on time so that if the participants get delayed, you can reschedule the provided transportation.

Depending on your organisation’s requirements, you may need to follow a specific timeframe for confirming your meeting resources. Be sure to check and follow your organisation’s requirements for confirming meeting resources.

Confirming your resources can be done through three methods. These methods include:

Emails

You can confirm your resources by contacting relevant personnel through email. These relevant personnel can include the catering group, the transportation service, the accommodation staff, and the meeting participants. In your email, you can inform the relevant personnel of the resources you need and ensure that these resources have been organised, preserved, and prepared for the meeting. This method is particularly useful as using email provides a record of your confirmation of resources.

Checklists

You can list all the resources you need for your meeting in a checklist. Your checklist can be physical (e.g. written) or virtual (e.g. online checklists); what is important is that it contains your required resources. Your checklist can also include criteria for your resources, which you can use to confirm that your resources are well-maintained and sufficient for your meeting. Similar to using email, checklists provide you with a record of your confirmation of resources.

Phone calls

You can confirm your resources in a phone call with relevant personnel. This is perhaps the quickest confirmation method, as you can ask the relevant personnel which resources are present and ready. However, unlike emails and checklists, phone calls do not provide you with a record of your confirmation.