Running Head: Plagiarism Exercise
BMAL 700
Plagiarism Exercise
Dr. Roger Bingham
Running Head: Plagiarism Exercise
Meetings are an inevitable part of the business world, be it in a for-profit or non-profit
organization. Group gatherings are required as this is one of the most efficient mechanisms for sharing
information and making decisions. However, it is likely that you have sat through a meeting and thought
how disappointed you were that you could never get that time back. Perhaps the meeting spent too
much time on one subject. Maybe the content was something that you were already intimately familiar
with. It could be that the person who called the meeting was not prepared or appeared to be
disorganized.
A tool often used to reign in out-of-control meetings is the agenda. If used well, this document
has the power to help meetings, and by association those attending the meetings, become more
effective and efficient. A well-run meeting represents a chance for a group to set direction, discuss
difficult issues and make informed decisions. Good meetings also enhance participants’ sense of
belonging, which is vital in an era when people feel less identified with the organization they work for
and when there is less time devoted to formal mentoring.
Though a meeting agenda is not a cure-all, a well prepared agenda can help eliminate some
problems and minimize others. In preparing the agenda, the meeting leader should solicit input from
meeting participants (Schwarz, 2015). Generally, those who attend the meeting are best prepared to
determine what needs to be addressed in the meeting. Topics should be items that affect all, or at least
most of the attendees (Schwarz, 2015, p.3). If the item does not affect some in attendance, there is no
need to have those people attending that part of the meeting.
Agenda topics should be listed as questions to enhance the awareness of what needs to be
accomplished (Story, 2015). Rather than an agenda item named “Custodial Contract,” the item should
be listed as “Should In-house Custodial Services be Contracted Out?” Story also suggests that agendas:
Running Head: Plagiarism Exercise
Note whether the purpose of the topic is to share information, seek input for a decision, or
make a decision
Estimate a realistic amount of time for each topic
Propose a process for addressing each agenda item
Specify how members should prepare for the meeting
Make the first topic “review and modify agenda as needed”
End the meeting with a plus/delta (What was done well? What needs to be done differently for
our next meeting)
One additional tool that further expands the ability to get the most out of an agenda is the shot
clock (Frisch and Green, 2016). The NBA and the NCAA put the shot clock in place years ago to quicken
the pace of play, because some teams (especially when leading near the end) passed the ball endlessly
without penalty. This approach to managing meetings limits the time available for a presenter to cover
a topic and the ensuing discussion.
An equal distribution of time – all agenda items get the same amount of time – is one way to use
this approach. However, it is highly likely that different agenda items will need different amounts of
time. Some can be completed in 5 minutes and others might take forty or more minutes. It would be
useful to set aside the first few minutes of the meeting to determine time limits for each discussion
topic or even do this in advance of the meeting.
Some meetings benefit more from agendas than others. Quick meetings with a single purpose
or routine staff meetings where attendees report in order around the table may not see the same level
of gain that longer and more technical meetings may show. The level and organizational diversity of the
participants may also determine how much benefit is captured by using a formal agenda. Cross
Running Head: Plagiarism Exercise
functional teams that do not typically work together may see more benefit than single department
teams.
Some organizations have moved from a standard agenda to a consent agenda. “A consent
agenda allows boards to take care of routine items in one action” (Story, 2007). Items that are easily
dealt with, uncomplicated and non-controversial can be approved with a single vote. “Examples of such
items include previous meeting and committee meeting minutes, routine correspondence and
confirmation of actions required in the bylaws.” (Story 2007 p.26) In order to make this summary
approach successful, the items to be approved must be sent to those who will vote on them with
enough notice so that those who vote can do so fully informed (Story, 2007).
Will an agenda enhance the functioning of your meeting? It is very likely the answer is a
resounding “Yes!” Even if the meeting is not accomplished more quickly, the positive perception of
using an agenda enhances the confidence of those involved.
Running Head: Plagiarism Exercise
References
Bob Frisch and Cary Green. (2016, March). Meetings need a shot clock. Harvard Business Review.
Retrieved from http://ezproxy.liberty.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=bth&AN=118706327&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Misciarelli, J. P. 2007. Using meetings to shape cross-functional agendas for key account success.
Retrieved from http://ezproxy.liberty.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=bth&AN=34590699&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Komar Story, C. (2007.) The Next Best Board. Credit Union Management. 30(2). p.10. Retrieved from
http://ezproxy.liberty.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=bth&AN=23768513&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Schwarz, Roger. (2015). How to design an agenda for an Effective Meeting. Retrieved from
http://ezproxy.liberty.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=bth&AN=118666701&site=ehost-live&scope=site
