To present an agenda, tell participants what will be decided, discussed or heard and how long each item will take. The chairperson or meeting organizer is responsible for making sure everyone has this information before the meeting begins.

The full breakdown:

A presented agenda is not a dramatic reading. It is a quick orientation so nobody spends the first ten minutes confused about why they showed up.

State the purpose. Everyone should know exactly what is being discussed. Is this meeting for a vote, a discussion or just updates? Be clear up front. "We have three action items tonight and two reports" is more useful than reading the agenda line by line.

Give time estimates. Boards run long because nobody protects the clock. Assign rough times to each item so people know what they are committing to.

Flag anything that needs prep. If participants need to review something before the meeting, let them know ahead of time and not mid-meeting when it is too late.

Leave room for comments. Public comment, open forum, whatever your bylaws call it. Build it in and tell people it is there.

A well-presented agenda sets the tone for the whole meeting. Get it right and the rest of the meeting has a fighting chance. 

For more tips on presenting skills check out How to Walk Into That Board Meeting and Present Like a Boss and How AI can help you prep. 

Check out the Meeting Bundle for everything you need before, during and after the meeting. 

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