The Minute Taker's Workshop
Course Overview
No matter who you are or what you do, whether at work or in the community, you are likely involved in meetings. Meetings are costly, whether they are held in a company boardroom or at the local coffee shop. To ensure that meetings are productive and worth the expense involved, three ingredients are necessary: an assurance of closure, a strong chair or leader, and accurate minutes. It has been said that if accurate minutes have not been recorded, then the meeting may just as well not have taken place.
If people can’t remember or agree on what actually occurred at a meeting, how can the group effectively accomplish its objectives? After this course, you will understand your role as a minute-taker and the best techniques for producing minutes that include all the essential information needed.
Learning Objectives
- Recognize the importance of minute-taking
- Develop key minute-taking skills, including listening skills, critical thinking, and organization
- Be able to resolve many of the complaints that affect minute-takers
- Be able to write minutes that are suitable for formal meetings, semiformal meetings, and action minutes
- Be an efficient minute-taker in any type of meeting
- Be able to prepare and maintain a minute book
Course Outline
1. Course Overview
2. The Role of a Minute-Taker
- What is a Minute-Taker?
- Problems and Solutions
3. The Skills of a Minute-Taker
- Key Skills
- Listening Skills
- Critical Thinking Skills
- Organization Skills
4. Meeting Agreements
5. Minute Styles
- Choosing a Style
- Informal Minutes
- Action Minutes
- Formal Minutes
6. What Do I Record?
- Recording Motions and Resolutions
- What to Record
7. Techniques for Preparing Minutes
- Top Techniques
- Writing Minutes
- Preparing Minutes
- Editing Minutes
- Pre-Assignment Review
8. Taking Minutes in an Interactive Meeting
9. The Minute Book
10. Personal Action Plan
11. Recommended Reading List