Free Meeting Agenda Templates

What Is a Meeting Agenda?

A Meeting Agenda is a document that outlines topics of discussion that participants need to cover during their meeting. Typically, it is made available to the participants in advance, several days or 24 hours before the meeting, so that every person is prepared to contribute to the general discussion. A simple Meeting Agenda can result in a better performance of your business and will solve problems by addressing them using the direct and transparent approach.

If you are looking for a Meeting Agenda template, browse our library of documents below to find the one most suitable for your situation.

What Is the Purpose of an Agenda for a Meeting?

A proper Agenda for a Meeting gives the individual who is responsible for it control over the discussions, issued to be covered, and allows to invite whoever this individual wants. However, every type of agenda has its specific objectives and goals:

1. A Board Meeting Agenda lets the board of directors manage the day-to-day business of their company and accomplish special projects. It is the most formal of all agendas because it serves as a basis for the meeting minutes. A properly written Board of Directors Meeting Agenda improves the effectiveness and efficiency of the discussion. Related: Shareholders Meeting Agenda.
2. A Staff Meeting Agenda (sometimes referred to as a "Team Meeting Agenda") helps to increase the productivity of the meeting between the company managers and employees. Using this document, you can address the larger company goals, recent accomplishments, and everyday challenges of the team. Find time to learn from the staff what is currently working and not working and discuss upcoming projects and next steps to be taken during the company's operations.
3. A Sales Meeting Agenda is usually prepared to encourage communication and increase the motivation of any sales team. Sales representatives and their direct supervisors gather to plan effective sales, share the feedback from current sales projects, and schedule training.
4. A Family Meeting Agenda allows the family to spend time together and connect while discussing important issues that relate to the family members. This is a focused time when every relative has a chance to voice concerns, plan future endeavors such as vacations and house renovations, and resolve possible disagreements to reduce family conflicts.

How to Write a Meeting Agenda?

Follow these steps to compose a clear-cut Meeting Agenda:

1. If you are the person entrusted with creating an agenda for a meeting, you need to request information from the future participants to engage them more. Learn their suggestions about what the agenda should contain and try to include the feedback to the document. To contact the colleagues or family members who will participate in the meeting, use e-mail, so that you can get answers in the written form as soon as possible.
2. Determine the main goal of the meeting - you must know a particular purpose, for instance, exchange of information, planning for the future, making a decision, or obtaining progress reports. Do not waste the participants' time - the meeting is to be focused on issues that affect most of the people, not just a couple of them. Prioritize the most important questions and stick to them. Calculate how much time each issue will be discussed.
3. Title the agenda and outline the topic of the meeting.
4. Create a precise schedule and list every issue that will be discussed. Each topic should have an estimated time to help other people to prepare and possibly request more time if it is necessary. If each topic should be led by a certain individual, write their names next to the issue.
5. Prepare to be flexible with the agenda - leave some time for other things. For example, you may schedule question time - 5-10 minutes so that the participants can address topics of importance and express their opinions.
6. Indicate the details of the meeting in the agenda - state the location, time, and date of the meeting. Name everyone who will participate in the discussion. If your meeting must be online, provide contact details and describe how the online conference can be accessed.
7. Send the agenda to every participant. Do it as early as you can - preferably, a week ahead of the meeting.

Related Forms and Templates:

• Meeting Minutes Templates;
• Letter of Intent Templates and Samples;
• Annual Report Templates.