If you’ve recently acquired the role of taking minutes in a boardroom meeting, you might be feeling nervous about your first time. Don’t worry! Taking minutes isn’t as complicated and difficult as it might sound, and whilst accuracy is key, there are many ways you can master the task, and become a top class minute taker!
Firstly, we need to explore what minutes are. The minutes of a boardroom meeting are a reflection of what was discussed, the actions decided upon, and timescales which the action should be completed by. You need to be as accurate and on point as possible, as in the future, when anyone looks back on the meeting and wants to ask questions about the discussions that took place, it will be your minutes they want to see.
Aside from noting down the details of the meeting, you will also be responsible for other tasks related to the role, such as preparing the agenda, distributing it, typing up the minutes, having them approved, and then circulating them afterwards. You will also be responsible for preparing the meeting room, so ensuring that the boardroom table is set out correctly, and any pieces of equipment (e.g. whiteboard or laptop) are where they need to be. You should also ensure you have enough boardroom chairs for the number of meeting attendees.
How to Take Minutes
It is a myth of boardroom meetings that the minute taker must do shorthand. You take your minutes however you feel comfortable, so you can either type them as you go, write them down, use random shorthand expressions, or scribble - the key is to get it all down and be able to read it back when you type them up. It’s a personal choice, and whatever feels comfortable to you.
Your minutes should include:
• The date and time of the meeting
• Who was in attendance - the best way to assess this is by the signed register which will be passed around, according to the boardroom layout (e.g. the register will be passed around clockwise or anticlockwise, and you can assess who said what from there)
• The name of the Chair, e.g. the person running the meeting
• Any apologies for those not in attendance
• Any amendments to the previous meeting’s minutes
• A section for each item on the agenda, including what was discussed
• Actions decided upon, those responsible, and a timescale for the action, on each piece on the agenda (if there is to be an action)
• Any other business - everyone will be asked if they have anything else to discuss, and you should note these down in sections
• Date and time of next meeting
Writing up Your Minutes
Even if you typed your minutes as you took them, you will still need to go through and edit them at the very least. Each organisation will have their own general layout and format for minutes, so ask colleagues and copy the previous layout of minutes from other meetings.
Here are a few tips on what to include and what not to include:
• Avoid noting down any inflammatory discussions or personal remarks. Sometimes delegates will go off topic, and these things don’t need to be recorded on paper.
• You do not have to note down everything verbatim, e.g., you don’t have to go word for word, especially if there is foul language involved!
• Avoid going into too much detail that isn’t required. You simply need to write a quick summary of the discussion, and the most important thing to note down is any action that was decided upon
• Remember that the minutes of a meeting are a formal document that could be used in any legal proceedings in the future, so make sure to avoid noting down things you’re not too sure of
It’s always best to write your minutes as soon after the meeting as you can, so things are still clear in your mind. If you leave them until a week or so later, you’re going to forget something, or possibly misinterpret what you have written down.
Another tip is to always ensure you are comfortable whilst you’re taking minutes. If you’re sat on a chair which is too hard, or it’s simply not supportive, your mind is not going to be on the job at hand. Check out London office furniture choices on the internet for comfortable boardroom furniture, with a stylish twist. You could even make use of other trendy meeting room furniture, such as modular office furniture, to ensure the comfort of you and your delegates.
However you choose to take your minutes, remember that you are in a position of importance by taking on this role. Despite that, the reality is never as hard as you think, and after the first time, you’ll be flying!
Have you taken minutes before? Do you have any tips to share?