Real Communication An Introduction

Chapter 10  Leadership and Decision Making in Groups 293

An agenda for a meeting should detail the meeting’s subject, goal, logistics,
and schedule. It should list or include any materials that participants would need
to have read or reviewed in advance of the meeting so that everyone arrives with
the appropriate background on the issue. Think of your agenda as a checklist—
an essential component of meeting success (Gawande, 2009). A sample agenda
for Jacob’s meeting is provided in Figure 10.2.

Managing Meetings Effectively

So you now see that meetings can go well—or they can go horribly off track.
During a meeting, the leader is responsible for managing the discussion in ways
that help the group communicate while remaining focused on the meeting’s goal.
The following steps can help.

Meeting with sales team to discuss marketing strategies for new

SlickBoards Web site.

Date: March 24, 2015

Time: 10:00 A.M.–12:00 P.M. (EST)

Location: Conference Room 2. Call-in number 555-555-0823.

AGENDA

I. Welcome

A. Quick introduction of core team working on Web site

B. Introduce purpose of meeting—to discuss the marketing

strategies for the new SlickBoards Web site

II. Why do we need a new SlickBoards Web site?

A. Overview of our current Web site and its deficiencies

B. Present the concept of the new Web site, why we needed a

revamp, and how it improves on the old site

III. What will be on the new SlickBoards Web site?

A. Outline all the new information about the products that will

be on the Web site and how it will increase sales

B. Explain how clients will be able to customize their SlickBoard

directly on the new Web site

IV. How should we market this new Web site?

A. Discuss the focus of the marketing campaign: What’s the

message?

B. Brainstorm how to get the message out

C. Distill list of ideas; assign roles

V. Conclusion and follow-up

A. Take any questions or concerns

B. Establish next meeting time and what should be accomplished

by then

FIGURE 10.2

JACOB’S AGENDA Although

Jacob’s meeting agenda is

very well organized, there is

no indication that Julia needs

to be present for it or that she

plays a role in this meeting.