Hart L.B., Waisman C.S. - The leadership training activity book (2005)(en)
.pdf
228 THE LEADERSHIP TRAINING ACTIVITY BOOK
MATERIALS
Handout 40.1: Sample Agenda
EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES
Flipcharts (one per small group)
Markers
Self-sticking notes
ROOM SET-UP
Space for a table, chairs, and flipchart for each small group
Comments
It is important to develop and distribute an agenda before a scheduled meeting, because it gives people time to gather information about important issues. It also ensures that the most-important topics will be discussed at the meeting.
RESOURCES
For more on other facilitation techniques, read Faultless Facilitation—A Resource Guide, by Lois B. Hart (Amherst, MA: HRD Press) 2001.
Trainer’s Notes for Activity 40
STEP-BY-STEP PROCEDURE
Step 1: Introduce the topic with these remarks:
“If we look back at meetings we’ve attended or conducted that have not been too successful, we are likely to conclude that not having an agenda or having only a poorly planned one was a major reason why the meeting was a flop. The focus of this next activity is on how to prepare a good agenda.
In this activity, we will also review why it’s important to have an agenda. You will have an opportunity to work in small groups to prepare one agenda together.”
Step 2: Discuss the importance of having an agenda for every scheduled meeting. List participants’ ideas on the flipchart. Make sure they realize that agendas:
Clarify which tasks and issues need discussion.
Put items into an order for discussion.
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Help to identify how much time will be needed for a meeting.
Provide a way to measure the accomplishment of tasks.
Provide an outline for writing a report after the meeting.
State how to prepare an agenda. Discuss and record on the flipchart the pros and cons of preparing the agenda before the meeting:
1.Pros:
It saves time in the meeting.
Items can be put in logical order.
Group members can prepare and bring resource materials to support items on the agenda.
2.Cons:
It reduces spontaneity.
Participants cannot decide whether or not all of the items are important for a particular meeting.
Step 3: Tell participants that the next 45 minutes will be spent putting together a sample agenda. Then present the challenge: To set up an agenda for a two-hour problem-solving session. Here’s the scenario:
“You work in a manufacturing setting. It has come to your attention from several sources that the sales department makes promises to customers that cannot be kept under the current production schedule. You are calling a meeting with key people from sales, production, shipping, information technology, and sales support departments. Your goal is to solve the problem of scheduling so your company can keep its promises to customers.”
Distribute Handout 40.1, Sample Agenda, and go over the parts of an agenda:
Date and time of meeting
Names of those serving as team leader, facilitator, and recorder
Goals and objectives for the meeting
Topics, issues, and or activities
Processes to be used
Name of person responsible for each part of the agenda
Time allotted for each item on the agenda
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Step 4: Divide participants into teams of three, and give each trio one large sheet of chart paper and a pad of 3” x 3” self-sticking notes. At the top, they must write the goal of the meeting, as well as starting and ending times.
Demonstrate how to use the chart paper to sketch out the agenda’s skeleton. Use one sticky note for each component of the agenda. Start with the normal items included in an agenda, such as
Introductions
Administrative details
Breaks
Closure
Each team should use the self-sticking notes for these items, and place them on the paper. Show them on the flipchart how this is done:
Each team should first brainstorm all of the parts of this two-hour meeting. For each topic or issue, they should prepare a separate sticky note, which is physically placed on the large agenda sheet they are designing. Encourage people to move items around until they get a flow that makes sense and that provides some variety to the agenda, while still accomplishing their goal. Tell them that agenda items are commonly listed down the left of the page, in one column.
Step 5: When all the teams finish, post the agendas where everyone can see and discuss each design. You are likely to see different designs that can achieve the same goal. Praise creativity and variety of methods used in the design.
Step 6: Review agenda basics, and be sure you include these tips:
Stick to your agenda as much as you can. Periodically review what you think has been accomplished, and preview which items are left. Make adjustments as needed, using group consensus. Make sure you keep to the announced times for breaks and adjournment.
It is very common to end up with too many items on an agenda, so don’t be surprised when everything isn’t covered. Summarize those items that weren’t covered, and decide with the group whether they can be accomplished by an individual or a sub-group, or held until the next meeting. Make a record of this decision, so individuals or sub-groups can give reports at the next meeting. Also note the items that will be incorporated into the next agenda.
The agenda can be used as an outline for preparing the minutes of the meeting or a similar report.
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Example #1
Name of Organization or Group
Date
Time
Place
AGENDA
Goal or Objective: To Keep Our Promises
Introduction
Warmup to problemsolving (2 minutes)
Break (7 minutes)
Agenda item
Agenda item
Summary
Closure
Step 7: Summarize the importance of having a well-planned agenda with the following words:
“Remember: An agenda is the roadmap you need to reach your chosen destination.”
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POST-ACTIVITY REVIEW
Take time shortly after conducting this activity to reflect on how it went, how engaged the participants were, and what questions they raised. Then, make notes that include how much time you actually spent on the activity.
HANDOUT 40.1
Sample Agenda
Name of team:
Date and time of meeting:
Place of meeting:
Department or team:
Facilitator:
Recorder:
Goal:
Objective:
I. Introductions: |
Mark Naismith, |
(5 minutes) |
|
Director of Operations |
|
II. Review of |
Jan Smity, |
(5 minutes) |
November meeting: |
Chair of Task Force |
|
|
Committee |
|
III. The Year Ahead: |
Vera Jamison, |
(20 Minutes) |
The Company’s |
Vice President |
|
New Product Line |
of New Product |
|
|
Development |
|
IV. Selection of Markets |
Mark Naismith |
(Discussion |
We Will Focus on |
|
and vote: |
in 2003 |
|
25 minutes) |
V. Summary and Close |
|
|
|
|
|
© 2005 AMACOM, A DIVISION OF AMERICAN MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION. This handout is available in PDF form at www.amacombooks.org/leadershipact.
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41
ENERGIZE!
Review of Activity
When a team or staff work together for long periods of time, they should be encouraged to take frequent energy breaks to keep their ideas flowing. This exercise helps to increase their energy. It also includes other practical tips on the use of snacks, water, and physical activity to achieve this goal.
Objectives
To present ways to reenergize and keep the ideas flowing.
To try some of these ideas in an informal setting.
Setting Up the Activity
GROUP SIZE
Any number of participants who will be sorted into 4-5 per group
ESTIMATED TIME
1 hour
TRAINING METHODS
Discussion
Demonstration
Movement
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MATERIALS
Fresh fruit for snacks
EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES
One flipchart per group of four to five (or sheets of paper on the wall for small groups)
Sticky notes
Variety of CDs and a CD player
ROOM SET-UP
Leave space along the walls so the small groups can stand next to the flipcharts.
Comments
Our energy tends to ebb and flow. The tasks at hand might be critically important, and we as leaders must pay attention to our ability to maintain focus and keep going. Workers as well as learners need breaks, exercise, energizing activities, and proper food. Plan to incorporate the ideas outlined here throughout your training.
Prepare to use this activity at some point in your program, but keep in mind that it needs to be used when you realize that people need energizing in order to go on.
Trainer’s Notes for Activity 41
STEP-BY-STEP PROCEDURE
Step 1: Introduce the topic by saying,
“Our energy tends to ebb and flow when we’re working on something wonderful or critically important. Leaders must be prepared to step in and reenergize their people.
“I have chosen this time to introduce this discussion because you look (overwhelmed, fatigued, tired) and need a break. So, first I want you to put your heads down while I dim the lights and play some quiet music. Take a short power nap.”
Step 2: How can you help participants get reenergized? Ask them to stand in groups of four to five next to one of the flipcharts or a chart paper on the wall. Give each person a pad of sticky notes. Ask them to write down all of the ideas (one per note) they can think of that will help re-energize people who must work together for hours on end. They are to first write
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all of their ideas down, and then together try to group the ideas under similar categories.
While they are still standing, put on some lively music and lead the group in a few stretching exercises or dance movements (or get a volunteer who’s adept at this to do it).
In the whole group, review the suggestions and merge ideas into similar groupings. Then have everyone take a piece of fruit for a snack and find a place to sit down.
Step 3: Share a few other ideas, such as these:
Variety in activity and even location can help energy levels. No one can stay awake doing the same activity all the time, so prepare a sequence of tasks and topics that provide variety. For instance, combine discussion of a serious issue with something lighter or humorous. Or use part of a work session to solve a problem and another portion to evaluate how the group is working together.
Regroup team members regularly. If you form sub-groups to work on a problem, be sure to mix people up once in a while. If they do not know one another, encourage them to sit with different people occasionally.
Our metabolism dictates when we will have the most energy. Half of your group will be alert in the morning, a large number will perk up in the afternoon, and a small number will wish you could meet in the evening. Vary the time when you meet so you can draw on the energy of the group members.
Also, vary where you meet. By meeting in different parts of a large organization, people get to see where their colleagues work. Try to occasionally meet in a setting away from work. Variety provides a fresh perspective.
Research shows that people can sit still and concentrate for approximately forty-five minutes to one hour at a time. Take a break every hour so that people can go to the rest room, make a quick phone call, get a breath of fresh air, or network.
Provide for some physical exercise to re-energize the group. When they seem tired, do some yawning and stretching together. Have a set of easy exercises that can be done in your meeting room. Often there is