On a global project, one team member from another country cannot attend regular meetings. Other members begin questioning the need for the meetings, and this is affecting the schedule and quality. What should the project manager do to manage deliverables?

Defining a clear agenda for project meetings is crucial because it sets expectations for what will be discussed and achieved. This helps team members understand the meeting's purpose and value, making them more likely to attend and contribute. For a global team with attendance challenges, a well-defined agenda allows those who cannot attend to review topics, provide input asynchronously, and stay informed, thus maintaining schedule and quality. "Define the rules for the project meeting" is too broad; an agenda is a specific rule that addresses the issue directly. "Make it mandatory for all members to attend all project meetings" is impractical for a global team with time zone differences and doesn't address the underlying perception of meeting value. "Make it mandatory for all members to discuss their work at project meetings" could lead to inefficient meetings if not all work is relevant to everyone, and it doesn't solve the attendance issue.