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Description

Meeting Preparation: Framing the Topic, Setting the Objective and Building the Agenda

Three hours to stop calling meetings without knowing what must come out of them or who genuinely needs to be there

  • 0.43 days — 3 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • Foundation
  • Up to 6 participants

Participants arrive without knowing why they are in the room. The agenda amounts to a single word. The discussion drifts in every direction, the meeting ends without a decision and a new date is set to discuss the same subject again. The time lost is counted in hours multiplied by the number of people present.

Three hours online focused entirely on preparation. You learn to state the topic in terms everyone can understand, to turn a vague intention into an objective that can realistically be achieved in the time available, and to build a sequenced and timed running order. During the session you prepare a meeting that you actually have to chair.

Learning objectives

  • State the topic of a meeting in terms that all participants can understand
  • Turn a general intention into an objective achievable within the time allocated
  • Build a sequenced and timed running order
  • Select participants according to their actual role in the meeting

What makes this programme different

You prepare a meeting that is already in your own diary
An invitation and a running order drafted and reviewed by the group
A live test of your stated objective against questions from other participants

Programme

1The Topic and the Purpose of the Meeting

Knowing why people are being brought together

  • What justifies a meeting rather than a message or a call
  • Stating the subject in one sentence that needs no further explanation
  • Distinguishing between information, working and decision-making meetings
  • Material to circulate beforehand so that it is not read out during the session

2The Objective and the Expected Outcome

What must leave the room

  • Moving from a vague intention to an observable outcome by the end of the session
  • Checking that the objective is achievable within the time allocated
  • Choosing participants according to the contribution expected from them
  • Stating the objective in the meeting invitation

3The Plan and the Running Order

Timings that hold up

  • Breaking the subject into sequences with a time allocated to each
  • Ordering the items according to their level of difficulty
  • Selecting a facilitation method for each sequence
  • Planning the record of decisions and its circulation after the meeting

Who is it for

Managers and project managers, as well as anyone required to call and prepare working meetings.

Prerequisites

No prior knowledge required

Dates & locations

12 scheduled dates between November 2026 and December 2027. Seats are confirmed in the order enquiries are received.

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

June 2027

September 2027

October 2027

November 2027

December 2027

None of these dates suit you? We open additional sessions on request, and any programme can be run privately for your team.

Practical details

Before the programme
Online positioning questionnaire. Your development objectives are shared with the trainer, who tailors the practical case studies to your context.
Teaching methods
Theoretical input, workshops and practical case studies. Digital course materials and method sheets provided.
Assessment
Multiple-choice tests and role-play exercises. Assessment of learning at the start and end of the programme, with immediate and 60-day follow-up evaluations.
After the programme
One year of access to the e-learning platform. Self-assessment of the skills acquired and a 30-day follow-up session with your trainer.
How to register
Registration online or on the basis of a quotation.
Lead time
11 working days after confirmation of registration.
Accessibility
Accessible to people of determination. Contact our accessibility coordinator to design a suitable solution: contact@mpf-academy.ae
Start dates
Rolling intake: in addition to the scheduled sessions, this programme can start on request.