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. Specific learning objectives include:

• 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 Content

Lessons

Session One: Course Overview

Session Two: The Role of a Minute-Taker

Session Three: The Skills of a Minute-Taker

Session Four: Meeting Agreements

Session Five: Minute Styles

Session Six: What Do I Record?

Session Seven: Techniques for Preparing Minutes

Session Eight: Taking Minutes in an Interactive Meeting

Session Nine: The Minute Book