5. Agenda

This is a Latin word meaning things to be done. It is a list of the items of business to be dealt with at a meeting. These items are arranged in logical order so that it will not be necessary to take a later item first, which may affect a decision on one of the earlier items. Routine business is always placed first to clear the way for discussion of any special items. When writing an agenda the Secretary must call the meeting, give the place, the date, the time, and give notice of the items to be discussed. Note that any other business is often written as AOB. It is important to remember that items for an agenda should be listed in logical sequence so that it should not be necessary - unless for some special reason - to discuss any item out of order.

Using an Agenda

You should try to follow your own clearly thought out agenda and use it to keep you focused on your goals and to keep the discussions on track. It may be advisable to agree the agenda up front, in the preparation phase of a negotiation. Beware of wasting time on issues that are of little importance to either side - this sometimes happens when both sides work too hard at avoiding contentious issues.

Use an agenda to:

- Formally define what the discussions are about.

• Keep you focused on your goals.

• Allocate fixed periods of time to specific issues.

• Help to bypass any deadlock situations - by moving onto the next item. The presence of a firm deadline on your agenda can be used to put the other side at a disadvantage. Their options may become more limited as they feel the pressure of time. You may decide to set a deadline arbitrarily, for example by letting the other side know that you will be unavailable after a certain date because you have other commitments or are starting another project. You may highlight or exploit an existing fixed date as a deadline in order to expedite the negotiation process, for example a forthcoming trade show or the launch of a new venture.

Minutes and reports

Before understanding what minutes are we must understand what is meant by a meeting. A meeting is an assembly of persons for a specific purpose. The word meeting therefore implies the coming together of at least two persons.

It is important to recognise the difference between minutes and reports. Minutes, in most cases, are the record of actual decisions, recommendations, and memoranda. Reports are written in narrative form and contain an analysis of the matter reported on, with or without recommendations.

Minutes

These are a clear, correct, and concise record of business discussed and decisions reached at a meeting. They are later approved at the next meeting of the company, club or committee when they are read by the Secretary, approved by the meeting, and signed by the Chairperson as a true record. Should any alteration(s) to the minutes be necessary they should be agreed by the meeting, written in by the Secretary, and then signed by the Chairperson.

In some cases the minutes may have been circulated beforehand by the Secretary and, if the approval of the meeting is obtained, they may be 'taken as read'.

There are three separate actions involved in the compilation of minutes:

1. the taking of minutes in note form;

2. the drafting of minutes;

c) the recording of the minutes in the Minute Book.

To begin with the taking of minutes can be somewhat daunting; but ease comes with experience. It is important to remember that it is only those points relevant to the final issue that are to be recorded - and of course the actual decision itself.

The drafting of minutes should be done as soon as possible after the meeting. Long involved sentences are to be avoided because they can lead to ambiguity. And punctuation should be kept to the necessary minimum. After drafting, compare your minutes with the agenda for the meeting; this will help to make sure that nothing has been overlooked.

For purposes of record and reference, minutes are written up in a Minute Book or in a separate File of Minutes. This record of the meeting should include:

a) the date, the time, and the place of the meeting;

b) the names of those present (usually possible only at small meetings);

c) the exact wording of any resolution spassed, and the names of the proposer and seconder.