Minutes Writing Skills

Meetings play an important role in business today. We often are required to participate in those meetings both as leader and contributor.

However, at other times, we are called upon to assist by taking the minutes of the meeting - recording what was discussed, what was agreed and what is going to be done.

To do so effectively requires a number of skills. We must not only be able to record and summarise the discussion accurately, but also do so succinctly while at the same time applying all the basics of good writing. We must also follow the format, style and tone appropriate both to the meeting and the organisation itself.

Objective

The objective of this one-day workshop is to assist participants in  developing all the key skills for effective minute taking and minute writing.

Content

Topics covered in the workshop include the following:

•     The basic of good minute writing
•     Preparation and planning
•     Methods of recording discussion
•     Planning, structure and layout
•     Structure, tone and style
•     Choosing your words
•     Composition - sentences, paragraphs, punctuation
•     Maintaining consistency
•     Keeping it simple, keeping it focused
•     Tense, grammar and jargon
•     Avoiding jargon, clichès and hackneyed phrases
•     Length and editing techniques
•     Dealing with technical meetings and unfamiliar content
•     Staying focussed and keeping alert
•     Practical examples.

Method

This is a hands-on programme using work based examples. Participants are invited to bring samples of their work so that content may be tailored to their specific requirements.

Resultant Benefits

On completion of the workshop, participants will have learnt all the key skills for effective minute taking and minute writing.

They will have developed specific techniques to assist them in preparing for meetings, recording discussion and summarising agreements in a manner which meets the requirements not only of the participants of the meeting but the organisation itself.