10 questions to help you decide what belongs on your staff meeting agenda

We've all been to a nonprofit staff meeting where there are items that shouldn't be on the agenda. And often, it makes for a painful and long-drawn-out meeting. We wonder to ourselves or text our colleagues, "Why are we even talking about this?"

Often that's because nonprofit leaders haven't learned what belongs on a staff meeting agenda. Without training on how to run a staff meeting, we are left to follow what our predecessor did. If they did it for so many meetings, it must be the right way, no?

Not necessarily!

Learning what goes on your staff meeting agenda will help you feel more confident, competent and in control.

Think about your staff meeting and then ask yourself these questions:

1. Are your staff meetings effective at doing what you want them to do?
2. Does your team find them valuable?
3. Do they grow your team?
4. Are your staff meetings?

a. engaging

b. collaborative

c. productive

d. worthwhile?

If the answer or answers are no, you may want to rework how you run them.?

Let's start first with what's on your staff meeting agenda.

Your staff meeting agenda should be prepared and provided to those who will be in attendance several days before the meeting. They need to know what to expect. Therefore, they may need to prepare. Additionally, if you are running an engaging and collaborative meeting, your team members may have items to add to the agenda.?

So what should go on a staff meeting agenda? Here are 10 questions you can ask yourself when you prepare for your next staff meeting?

Does this belong on your nonprofit team staff meeting agenda?

?? 1) Does everyone need to know it and discuss it?

If it is an item that only certain people need to discuss, either put it on a different meeting agenda or put it at the end of their agenda so that those people who the topic is not relevant for can leave early?

?? 2) Can it be done as an email update?

If you were providing information, an email update might be fine. If you need a discussion around something, you may want to give the email update first so that people have time to prepare before the meeting. It's important to be clear on the agenda item what the agenda item is. It's not information sharing.?

Instead, the agenda item becomes

• A decision to be made on A or B
• Feedback is requested on X.?

a. What's working and what isn't?

b. What can be improved?

?? 3) Is it the right time?

Often we start talking about things before we have all the information, knowledge or information, and it can create anxieties, tension and confusion. Or we talk about things that aren't yet resolved, and really people shouldn't be privy to yet.?

Be cautious and trust your gut when you ask yourself, "Is it the right time to talk about this at this meeting?" Your intuition will know best.?

?? 4) What is the point of sharing it?

Are you sharing information because it's something employees need to know, because it will help them somehow or because they need to prepare for it? If you can't figure out the point is for sharing it, don't share it.?

If you do know the point, be clear on what the point is. Please don't assume that everyone knows why you're sharing it.

?? 5) Is everyone there that needs to be included to discuss this item?

It's annoying to have a discussion that can't be resolved because the key stakeholder isn't at the meeting. When this happens, we often go around and around, but no one can make a decision or answer a question because the person with that power, authority or knowledge isn't at the meeting.?

Be sure the key players are at the meeting for that particular item if you put it on the agenda.??

?? 6) Do we have time for that discussion?

Some discussions take time. When an agenda is crammed full, and we throw a topic in there and expect to brush over it, that often causes frustration for the people in attendance. They won't have time to explore, ask questions, provide suggestions and dig deeper.?

Brainstorming, for example, cannot be done well in three minutes. If an agenda item needs more time, create a separate meeting for it.

?? 7) Is this the most efficient use of our time?

Pulling a team together is costly and takes significant organizational time and resources. So make sure you're using that time and those resources wisely.

?? 8) If this is a sensitive conversation, is it the right time to discuss it?

Even though some topics are relevant for everyone, sometimes those conversations are difficult. It's not always the right time to discuss them. That may have to do with what's going on organizationally, in the world, or someone's family. Remember to be sensitive about the topic you put on your agenda.?

?? 9) Consider the urgency of the matter.

Even though everything may be relevant to the agenda, that doesn't mean it needs to go on the agenda. If it's not an urgent topic and the agenda is already full, hold onto that topic for a future meeting. Give time and attention to the most pressing things, not just for you in the organization but also for your employees.?

?? 10) Is this the right place for this agenda item?

Lastly, once you've decided that it does go on the agenda, be considerate of where you place it on the agenda.?

• Things that need more discussion and focus should be done earlier on.?
• Additionally, things that need more composure for a difficult conversation should be done earlier.?
• You want to end on a positive, uplifting note. Therefore ensure the last item will make people feel good as they leave the meeting.?

Running an effective and engaging staff meeting is much easier when you are more conscious and intentional about creating your staff meeting agenda.?

To ensure your next nonprofit staff meeting runs effectively, do this:

? Schedule a few minutes into your calendar to prepare your agenda.

? Consider what belongs on your agenda, running potential items through the above list of questions.

? Feel confident, capable and in control as you run your next team meeting.?

Preparing is one of the first steps to feeling more confident running a staff meeting. When you prepare your staff meeting with intention, you will feel more confident, and your team will find it much more valuable and engaging.?

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Kathy Archer, Leadership Development Coach

Leadership Development Coach Kathy Archer helps women develop confidence, maintain their composure and lead with integrity! She is the author of?Mastering Confidence?and the?Surviving to Thriving podcast?host. Kathy?blogs?for women leading in nonprofits at?www.kathyarcher.com/blog