Despite the somber name, a post-mortem meeting is a chance for teams to celebrate success and stimulate growth. Here’s how to run a successful wrap-up.
Simon Lau
December 19, 2024
An annual general meeting (AGM) is a yearly check-in meeting that organizations hold to stay on track. It’s the big, official gathering where key stakeholders — including company leadership, board members, shareholders, and sometimes even employees — review the past year’s progress and set the stage for what’s ahead.
What’s the importance of an AGM? What makes an AGM different from other kinds of meetings? For one thing, it’s all about the big picture. During the AGM, shareholders review financial reports, elect leaders, and discuss strategies to ensure everyone is aligned on the company’s direction.
Additionally, for many organizations, AGMs are a legal requirement. Publicly traded companies and nonprofits must hold AGMs to keep things transparent and allow shareholders to ask questions, voice concerns, and vote on critical decisions. It’s also a time for leaders to step up and show accountability by reviewing the company’s performance and explaining their choices.
If you plan to hold an AGM soon, this guide is for you. Whether you’re organizing your first AGM or just need a refresher, these tips will help you structure and run the meeting smoothly.
Annual general meeting agenda: Key topics to discuss
Now that you know what an AGM is, let’s talk about what it includes. Every AGM features some must-have discussions to keep the meeting on track and address all critical matters.
Here are the key sections to include in your AGM agenda:
1. Call to order
Like any board meeting, an AGM kicks off with a formal call to order. The meeting chair officially starts the meeting and confirms that enough stakeholders are present (this number is called a “quorum,” and it depends on each organization’s bylaws).
Then, the meeting chair lays out any ground rules — like how voting will be handled or time limits for discussions — and gets the agenda approved. If anyone has last-minute changes or additions to the agenda, this is their chance to speak up before the meeting moves forward.
2. Minutes from the previous AGM
Before discussing the current year’s issues, it’s important to revisit the minutes from the previous annual meeting. This helps everyone remember what decisions were made last year and understand which action items have been completed or are still pending.
Where do last year’s meeting minutes come from? Traditionally, a secretary would have taken notes at the previous AGM and drafted the minutes afterward. But with tools like Otter, this process is made much easier.
Otter’s transcription software automatically captures key points, action items, and decisions in real-time. It also summarizes your meeting notes so you can quickly access the key insights from past AGMs without sifting through documents. You can read these summaries instead of the full minutes of your last AGM to save time and use Otter to cut down on the need for manual note-taking during the current one.
3. President’s update
Next up: the big-picture recap. The president (or CEO) gives an overview of the company’s performance over the past year, including major milestones and challenges, and announces what’s ahead. This is a great chance to celebrate wins, address concerns, and set the tone for the year to come.
4. Financial reports
Time to talk numbers! One of the objectives of AGMs is to review financial reports. During this part of the meeting, the finance team presents an overview of the organization’s financial health, including revenue, expenses, profit (or losses), and projections for the future. For nonprofits, this might also include funding sources and budget allocations. Then, shareholders and board members get a chance to ask questions and double-check that everything adds up.
Even if spreadsheets aren’t your thing, this section is crucial — understanding these numbers gives everyone a clear picture of the company’s stability and growth prospects. This helps you determine the company’s financial strategy moving forward.
5. Board of Directors elections
Finally, if board members are up for election or re-election, this is the time for everyone to cast their votes. The board plays a huge role in guiding the organization’s future, so these decisions matter.
Candidates may introduce themselves, answer questions from stakeholders, and demonstrate why they’re the right fit for the role. After tallying the votes, new or returning members are officially welcomed, and the AGM moves on to any final business before wrapping up.
How to run an annual general meeting: Best practices
When it comes to running an AGM, you can’t just wing it. Make sure the meeting is as focused, efficient, and productive as possible.
Follow these best practices to keep everything on track:
1. Plan and prepare
A successful AGM starts long before the meeting itself. If you’re the person running the meeting, start by creating a clear agenda. Then, gather all the relevant reports and any supporting materials to inform the discussion, like financial statements or board nominations.
Share these items with stakeholders ahead of time so they can come prepared, too. This way, everyone has a chance to review important documents and come ready with questions or feedback, making the meeting more productive and focused.
2. Use Otter AI for efficient note-taking
It’s essential to take detailed notes during an AGM. They serve as a reference point for future meetings, making sure nothing important slips through the cracks. But let’s face it — taking notes manually during a fast-paced meeting is tough. It’s hard to keep up with every point made, and it’s easy to miss crucial details or make errors when you’re trying to write everything down. Plus, you don’t want to be so focused on your notes that you can’t participate in the conversation.
Instead of scrambling to capture every detail during the meeting, let Otter’s automated transcription software handle it in real-time. As the discussion unfolds, Otter automatically transcribes it, capturing all the key points and action items. Once the meeting is over, you’ll have an easy-to-read summary of everything that happened. Review and edit the summary for accuracy, add notes and highlights, and then share it with stakeholders as a quick follow-up. This saves everyone time and ensures nothing gets lost.
3. Encourage open participation
The AGM is a chance for all the stakeholders to weigh in, so make sure everyone has a chance to speak. Encourage participants to ask questions, voice concerns, and come to effective resolutions.
The more inclusive the discussion is, the better. Diverse perspectives can highlight issues you might not have considered and lead to more thoughtful solutions, strengthening your overall decision-making process. Plus, an open environment builds trust among stakeholders, which makes collaboration easier and more effective.
4. Keep the meeting short
If your annual meeting drags on for too long, participants may lose focus, and the discussion might become unproductive. Keep the meeting short and sweet by sticking to the agenda and cutting out unnecessary chatter. A concise, well-paced meeting helps keep everyone engaged and energized. Plus, it shows that you respect the value of everyone’s time.
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