How does one keep people on track in meetings?

 IME

1. Agendas should be structured around QUESTIONS that need to be answered, NOT topics—which tend to reappear in meeting after meeting.
2. Circulate the agenda in advance along with any supporting information/data.
3. Record decisions made in the meeting (use a person assigned the role of keeping notes)
4. Ask “how does this help us answer this question?”
   
   
5. Use the MIT/Peter Senge 'dialogue' technique, asking people one at a time in order their thoughts on the question of the moment, no reactions allowed, then go around a second time to allow people to modify their views based on what others have said.