Taking Meeting Minutes - Online Library

1 Taking Meeting Minutes Meeting Skills Team FME. ISBN 978-1-62620-994-7. Copyright Notice 2013. All Rights Reserved ISBN 978-1-62620-994-7. The material contained within this electronic publication is protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and treaties, and as such any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is strictly prohibited. You may not copy, forward, or transfer this publication or any part of it, whether in elec- tronic or printed form, to another person, or entity. Reproduction or translation of any part of this work without the permission of the copy- right holder is against the law. Your downloading and use of this eBook requires, and is an indication of, your complete acceptance of these Terms of Use.'. You do not have any right to resell or give away part, or the whole, of this eBook. Taking Meeting Minutes Table of Contents Preface 2. Visit Our Website 3. Introduction 4. Essential Elements of Meeting Minutes 6.

2 Responsibilities of a Minute Taker 9. Be proactive 11. How to Take Meeting Minutes 11. Active Listening 12. Writing Notes 14. Solutions to Potential Problems 16. Meeting Minutes Tools 20. Meeting Minutes Checklist 20. Summary 23. Sample Minutes 25. Other Free Resources 27. ISBN 978-1-62620-994-7 1. Taking Meeting Minutes Preface Meeting Minutes are a summarized written record of a Meeting . Being asked to take the Minutes can be a stressful experience as it can be difficult to know what to put in and what to leave out. This eBook provides detailed guidance on how to take notes during the Meeting and how to turn them into professionally presented Minutes . You will learn: How to minimize stress by preparing thoroughly before the Meeting begins. A step-by-step approach to note Taking that makes sure that you don't miss any- thing important. How to overcome the most common problems encountered when Taking Minutes . The ten questions your Meeting Minutes must answer before they can be consid- ered complete.

3 How software tools can make minute Taking easier and how to choose one. ISBN 978-1-62620-994-7 2. Taking Meeting Minutes Visit Our Website More free management eBooks along with a series of essential templates and check- lists for managers are all available to download free of charge to your computer, iPad, or Amazon Kindle. We are adding new titles every month, so don't forget to check our website regularly for the latest releases. Visit ISBN 978-1-62620-994-7 3. Taking Meeting Minutes Introduction To work effectively in any organization it is essential that accurate notes are taken at all meetings. They form a vital part of your communications and ensure that all interested parties are aware of their own and others' responsibilities and timescales. These notes can take many forms: they may be formal Meeting Minutes , or an email sent as confirmation of a conversation you and your colleagues have had in connection with a project or activity.

4 For such notes to help you be effective they must be an accurate re- cord of the main points discussed and detail any resulting actions, along with the person or persons responsible for them. Meeting Minutes An accurate A list of required record of the actions &. event responsibilities Meeting Minutes are a summarized written record of what took place during the meet- ing. They should not be a transcript of all that was said during the Meeting . For notes' to become Meeting Minutes certain aspects must be included in the document. The min- utes must describe the events of the Meeting , starting with a list of attendees, a state- ment of the issues considered by the participants, and related responses or decisions regarding the issues discussed. The Minutes of certain groups, such as a corporate board of directors, must be kept on file and are important legal documents. Whether the Minutes are from a board or a proj- ect Meeting they provide an important record of who agreed to what during the Meeting and detail the essential points and outcomes of any discussions that took place.

5 ISBN 978-1-62620-994-7 4. Taking Meeting Minutes Meeting Minutes are often legal documents Being able to produce good' Meeting Minutes is an essential management skill you must perfect. They don't need to be long or complicated, but they must contain the key infor- mation mentioned above. You will need to record clearly and simply what decisions were made at the Meeting and who is going to carry them out. Anyone who attends a Meeting can be asked to take the Minutes and if you are asked to do so then it can be quite stressful until you gain experience. You may even ask one of your team to produce Minutes on your behalf so it is also essential that you train your team in this skill. The best advice is not to try to write everything down but to concentrate on WHAT has been decided and WHO is going to do it. It is often advisable to gain clarification of key points discussed to ensure that accuracy is attained. While being the person who takes the Minutes does not mean that you are unable to participate in the discussions, it is essential that you listen carefully during the Meeting to ensure your Minutes are a true reflection of the events that took place.

6 This is why often the person selected for Taking the Minutes is not a major contributor to the meet- ing. In some cases, as with board meetings, Taking the Minutes is the minute taker's sole responsibility during the Meeting . Minutes also record if a task has been assigned to a specific person responsible for its completion. The deadline for the task should also be included in the Minutes as well as any dependent activities required for the task's achievement. The Minutes will frequently contain a review and update on past actions, which is typically detailed on the Meeting 's agenda. ISBN 978-1-62620-994-7 5. Taking Meeting Minutes Key Points 44 Meeting Minutes are a summarized written record of a Meeting which detail what has been decided and by whom it is to be actioned. 44 In certain circumstances, Minutes may be considered as legal documents, but even where this is not the case they represent the definitive record of the Meeting . 44 Often the person selected to take the Minutes has this task as their sole re- sponsibility during the Meeting .

7 Essential Elements of Meeting Minutes For Minutes to be an accurate reflection of what took place during a Meeting there are certain elements that must be included in the electronic or written document. Time, Date &. Location Sign Off All Attendees Signature Minutes need to have: Approval Next Meeting Previous Details Minutes Announcements Action Items Many organizations use a standard template or have their own special format for keep- ing Minutes . The order of the parts may vary but would typically include: ISBN 978-1-62620-994-7 6. Taking Meeting Minutes Heading The name of the team or committee and the date, as well as the location, and time of the Meeting . Attendees Must include the names of all those who came to the Meeting , those who sent their apologies because they were unable to attend, and those who require copies of the Minutes . Approval of previous Minutes This is often the first heading below the housekeeping-type items so that it can be easily identified.

8 Notes in this section will detail whether the Minutes of the previous Meeting were approved, what if any corrections were required, and list any outstand- ing actions and responsibilities. Any individual who is unable to attend the Meeting but has outstanding actions to be addressed from previous Minutes is under an obligation to ensure either the Chair of the Meeting or the minute taker is given an update on their action. This will ensure the smooth running of the Meeting , as all appropriate information is available. Action items These items requiring action will include any unfinished business from the previous Meeting as well as all current and new ones that now require attention. The Minutes will provide a report on each topic discussed at the Meeting . For each item, note the subject of the discussion, the name of the person who led the discus- sion, and any decisions that may have been reached. Names of other individuals, third parties, or organizations will also be included where it adds clarity to the item.

9 Individuals who are unable to attend a particular Meeting have an obligation to in- form the Chair or minute taker of any progress they have made on their own actions. Announcements This section of the Minutes reports on any announcements made by participants or those who sent their apologies, including proposed agenda items for the next Meeting . ISBN 978-1-62620-994-7 7. Taking Meeting Minutes Next Meeting A note on where and when the next Meeting will be held. Signature line The name of the person who prepared the Minutes and the date they were submit- ted and agreed. Some organizations require more than one signatory for Minutes of a legal nature, board Meeting Minutes . A key area of consideration for the individual that is responsible for Taking the Minutes of the Meeting is to keep the notes concise and informative so that they summarize the discussion and outcomes that took place. Minute Taker informative concise notes needs: notes to summarize & outcomes discussions accurately Some organizations have a prescribed outline of who is supposed to receive the Minutes and a timeframe for when Minutes must be circulated following a Meeting .

10 The nature and length of how long the Minutes are supposed to be maintained on record will be unique to your organization. The Minutes also perform another function in that they assist the person responsible for producing the agenda, often the Chair, when finalizing the next Meeting 's agenda and help in allocating sufficient time to each agenda item to ensure a thorough discussion can take place. If any critical issues have been highlighted or outstanding actions are becoming a bottleneck for a project's progress these may need to be separate items on the agenda depending on their importance. ISBN 978-1-62620-994-7 8. Taking Meeting Minutes Key Points 44 Meeting Minutes typically include: the name of the team or committee and the date, location, and time of the Meeting as well as a list of the attendees. 44 For each item on the agenda, the name of the person who led the discussion as well as any decisions that may have been reached should be recorded.