Minute Taking

Minute Taking

Minute Taking Skills on How to Note Take and Produce Minutes

Most people struggle with minute taking and yet to be able to produce accurate meeting minutes, minute takers need to be skilled at note taking.

This is a pragmatic course delivered by a minute taker who has over 20 years’ experience of minute taking at both formal and informal meetings. This course will give attendees tools and techniques to work assertively with the Chair person to enable a smoothly run meeting.

The day contains plenty of practice to help take notes and practice in producing different styles of minutes. The course will also cover how to create minutes in an easy to record format.

This course will be tailored to your organisation’s agenda template and minutes template.

The course works well with a minimum of two attendees and a maximum of twelve attendees, however do get in touch if you have larger numbers.

Who should attend this course?

Anyone who needs to note take, and produce minutes of meetings.

By the end of the course participants will be able to:

•  State the responsibilities of the minute taker

•  Identify the appropriate position to sit in a room to take notes effectively

• Work with the Chair to help you take effective notes

• Be selective in recording information and note taking

• Identify how to interject for clarity

• Use a format to ensure key information is recorded on the minutes template

• Lay out information in a style suited to you

• Write the action points from the meeting notes

Minute Taking Course Outline

Introductions and Icebreaker

• Identify what each participant finds difficult about note taking and writing minutes.

• Ensure their concerns are addressed during the course of the day.

The Roles in a Meeting

• Discussion and Debrief

The Meeting Cycle

• Activity

• Discussion and Implications for the Minute Taker

Film Scenario 1 – The Poor Meeting

• Discussion and Debrief

• Options for the Minute Taker

Film Scenario 2 – The Assertive Minute Taker

• Discussion and Debrief

• Case studies

The Agenda

• What should be included in the agenda

• Classifying Information

• Using an objectives based agenda

Writing Minutes

• Style of minutes (verbatim, summary and action)

• Formatting the minutes

• Minutes template

Note Taking Practice

• What is note taking?

• Style of Notes – linear

• Note Taking skills

Film Scenario 3 – Note Taking Skills Practice

• Practice in how to note take

• Production of action Minutes

• Discussion and debrief

Notes Taking Practice

• Listening skills

• Note taking style – skeletal, being more selective

Film Scenario 4 – Note Taking Practice

• Practice in how to note take

• Production of action Minutes

• Discussion and debrief

Note Taking

• Speed writing tips

• Note style – mind mapping

Film Scenario 5 – Note Taking Practice

• Practice in how to note take

• Production of action Minutes

• Discussion and debrief

Expanding the role

• Writing a meetings brief

• Link to preparing for a meeting

Film Scenario 6 – Drawing up an agenda/Note Taking Practice

• Practice in how to note take

• Production of action Minutes

• Discussion and debrief