Four Steps To Success When Taking Minutes

Many people don't place enough attention on minute taking, and as a result, they end up inconsistent, sloppy or worse - impossible to glean information from. If you follow these four tips, you'll be well on your way to taking better minutes every time.

Are you the best person for the job?

This may seem like a silly question, but sometimes it can be better all round if you admit that you might not be the best person to be taking minutes. This isn't just ducking responsibility; it's putting the business first. It also applies if you're a manager and you just pick anyone who volunteers for the task - sometimes you'll be shooting yourself in the foot. For example, if someone has a very slow typing speed or doesn't know basic shorthand, then keeping up with a fast-paced meeting just isn't an option.

Also ask yourself if you know the department too well, or not enough. Impartial people are great at taking minutes, because they have no emotional investment in the decisions made and what's happening in the meeting, so their minutes won't have any kind of slant - which is perfect, as they are supposed to be a neutral document. The other side of the coin is if someone is heavily invested in the outcome of the meeting... first, they may not have the concentration to take the minutes and secondly, their opinion may seep through into the way they report what went on in the meeting. The positive side is that they know all the names of people and their role - so they won't be stopping people asking for their name again before seconding a difficult motion.

Don't be late - ever

This tip doesn't just refer to being late to the meeting itself. This is bad enough - you can't take minutes for an event that you missed because you were running to the boardroom, and it looks very unprofessional (and you have to grab some notes off a kind soul who may have started for you). This tip also applies to punctuality in other areas such as writing up the minutes properly and promptly so the meeting is fresh in your mind, and also distributing them soon after the event for the same reason - and it also makes it easier for people to correct or comment on something that happened fairly recently.

Be consistent

If you're new to minute taking for a particular company or person, then look at what's gone before - chances are that template works and you should adopt it as the 'house style'. Remember that minutes can often play a part in legal terms such as a board of trustees of a charity nominating new members to be elected and putting forward and seconding motions. In this instance, attention to detail and consistency is crucial.

Remember your readers

Even though it can be a lonely job, minute taking is not for you - remember it's for your readers. If you write in a shorthand or use references that only you would understand, then change them to make the document universally understandable. Remember to show your minutes to someone else who was present when they get written up, because they can spot errors or omissions that you might have left out. Finally, remember that it's other people, and not you who makes use of the minutes, so remain impartial but flexible, punctual and professional, and you'll be well on your way to becoming a great minute taker.