Is your business facing some difficult decisions after lockdown?
Are you having confidential meetings to discuss the future of your business?
Do you need an impartial and independent highly confidential person to take your minutes?
When you need to document what was discussed, agreed, and actioned at a meeting, you need a professional minute-taker to create an impartial and accurate record of the discussions.
We are happy to take minutes for board, trustee, disciplinary, research, and planning meetings face to face or over online platforms to suit your preferences.
Our Tips
- If you are not familiar with the business make sure you have an understanding of this and what the meeting is about ahead of the meeting.
- If you have not been presented with the agenda ask for a copy and any supplementary paperwork that has been distributed.
- Find out who will be attending and get full names and titles ahead of the meeting.
- Acronyms and industry abbreviations or often used during meetings try to make yourself familiar with these before the meeting starts.
- Have an understanding of what is required to be noted during the meeting.
- Ask to see a copy of previous minutes to see how the client likes them presented of if they have no preference use your template.
- Maintain concentration and listen to what is being said throughout the meeting.
- Ask the chairperson if they would like you to record the meeting or if you can make a recording for your records if relevant.
- If possible, sit next to the chairperson during the meeting as this should help you hear everyone.
- Ask the chairperson to introduce everyone so you know who is talking during the meeting.
Remote Minute Taking
- Find a space with no noise or interruptions.
- Remember to communicate with the chairperson if needed during the meeting.
- Be prepared for the meeting to run over so have a comfort break before it starts and get a glass of water.
Minutes are not a transcript of everything that was said during a meeting, they are a summary of the main points participants discussed and action points agreed and assigned.
The key things to remember when taking minutes are
- Participants.
- Agenda Items.
- Decisions made.
- Record of important points.
- Actions assigned and dated if appropriate.
Verbatim minutes or transcripts are a record of every word said during a meeting, which is often long and difficult to find the information required. Except for courtroom proceedings, they are rarely necessary.
If you would like a no-obligation call or Zoom please contact me sue@proactiveassistants.co.uk I would love to hear from you.
Virtually by your side.
