Minute Taking

I’ve been taking minutes for a long time, but it wasn’t until I was asked to present on the topic recently that it really got me thinking about what’s involved. I realise minute taking isn’t everyone’s cup of tea – and I’ll admit it isn’t mine – but having researched the subject, reviewed my approach and sharpened my skills, it’s made it more of a pleasure (honest).

I thought I’d share my findings in case it helps you in your plight or, don’t forget, you could always ask your Virtual Assistant to do it….(this is fast becoming our strapline!). 

So, to start at the beginning, the action of taking minutes derives from the Latin “minuta scriptura“, which means “small notes”, so it essentially means condensed. This should be how your minutes end up - smaller than the script of the meeting – if they end up longer, you’re doing it wrong!  Lesson one complete (tee hee!).

There are essentially three types of minutes:

Action Points – this is a record of next steps and mostly used at informal meetings (brainstorming or project/staff updates).

Discussion - a condensed version of what was said; the salient points. Mostly used at Board Meetings where more detail is required than just action points. It’s worth noting that auditors often need to know how decisions were made, so this should help guide you when choosing what’s important to record.

Verbatim – these are taken down word for word, best recorded and then transcribed, and will typically take double the time of the meeting. Often required when there’s a need for accuracy or as a matter of record, i.e., for HR interviews. 

There are two types of minute takers – which type are you….?

Proactive – Listen, Analyse then Write

Reactive – Listen, Write then Analyse 

You really want to be in the Proactive camp, if you’re more on the Reactive side, you probably find yourself frantically trying to write down (or type) everything which does nothing but leave you with a mountain of notes and little indication of important points (let alone any memory of them given your brain was tied up using your pen or keyboard). The Reactive way opens the possibility of inaccuracies and, frankly, just makes the job twice as hard. I would wager this is also the number one reason people are put off taking minutes! So, try to move over to the Pro side by hanging tight, trusting yourself and listening right to the end of what’s being said. Analyse that and then write down the salient points – you’ll see it makes for a much easier job.

Essential skills:

It helps to be a good listener (clearly), have a good command of language and if you’re able to wordsmith sentences into logical and readable paragraphs, all the better. A sound knowledge of the organisation and subject is, of course, useful to help understand what’s being said.

Another must have is a good Chair! Not many people realise but it falls to the Chair to ensure the meeting runs well enough for it to be easily minuted. A summary after each item from them would be the dream. You may need to read the room, but it’s generally acceptable to ask, "How would like that minuted?" or "Can you summarise?" if you're not clear on anything.     

So, to round up, here are some “salient points” to note:

·       Write the minutes from the point of view of someone who isn't at the meeting. So, avoid using “we”, or “our” – be an observer, a narrator.   

·       Record "need to know" not "nice to know" - and nice to know means irrelevant, inconsequential, fluff, gossip and scandal.

·       It might help to remember to include D.A.R.T:

o   Discussion items (this includes Decisions and Deferred items)

o   Actions

o   Responsibilities

o   Timeframe 

·       Keep it CLEAR, CONCISE, CONDENSED.

I hope this simplifies the process and helps you to smoother and, dare I say it, more enjoyable minute taking. In fact, these aren’t bad tips for writing in general - I’m off back to the top of this to do some condensing… 

Happy Minuting!

Lyndsey Shelley

Co-Founder & Director
Rodelle VA Services