1.5 - About University

➍Agree onthe Agenda➟❑❑❑Distribute the agenda well ahead of the meeting; label as Proposed Agenda.Obtain the group’s commitment to the meeting plan. (This prevents needless discussion.)Finalize the agenda with the group at the beginning of the meeting. Reaching consensus can berelatively easy at this early stage, before disagreements begin or positions become polarized.➟➎Appoint aRecorder➟❑❑❑❑Handle this step before or at the beginning of the meeting.Inform the meeting participants as to how the recorder will be interacting with the group. (E.g.,he or she will contribute a point of view, check the group’s progress on each point, summarizedecisions before moving on to other agenda items, and so on.)Any differences over the recorder’s summary need to be clarified immediately, before moving onin the meeting.The recorder is also charged with writing the meeting minutes.H OW TO USE THIS LEADERSHIP TOOL“If there is a single vital skill the successful manager must have, it is the skill to manage a meeting effectively.”—Roger Mosvick and Robert Nelson, WE’VE GOT TO STOP MEETING LIKE THISWEB WORKSHEETUse the space provided here to plan your opening remarks for the next meeting you will bechairing.Step ➊: Summarize how you will review the meeting’s purpose and process.[☛ 2.6 Clarifying Purpose, 11.1 Process Cycle]Step ➋: Outline what meeting participants will need by way of a common information base, andprovide a context for the meeting.SECTION 11 TOOLS FOR LEADING MEETINGS 357