No matter who you are or what you do, whether at work or in the community, you are likely involved in meetings. Meetings are costly, whether they are held in a company boardroom or at the local coffee shop. To ensure that meetings are productive and worth the expense involved, three ingredients are necessary: an assurance of closure, a strong chair or leader, and accurate minutes. It has been said that if accurate minutes have not been recorded, then the meeting may just as well not have taken place.
If people can’t remember or agree on what actually occurred at a meeting, how can the group effectively accomplish its objectives? After this one-day workshop, you will understand your role as a minute-taker and the best techniques for producing minutes that include all the essential information needed.
You will spend the first part of the day getting to know participants and discussing what will take place during the workshop. Students will also have an opportunity to identify their personal learning objectives.
To begin, participants will discuss the role of a minute taker. They will also explore common problems and solutions in small groups.
Next, participants will learn about the three key skills that a minute-taker must have: an ability to listen, critical thinking skills, and good organization techniques.
This session will discuss meeting agreements and give participants three templates to take away and customize.
During this session, participants will look at samples of three types of minutes: formal, informal, and action.
Next, participants will learn what to record during a meeting.
This session will give participants the tools for creating minutes, including organization methods, techniques for writing drafts, and proofreading tips.
During this session, participants will learn how their role as a minute-taker will be different in an interactive meeting.
To wrap up the day, participants will learn how to build and maintain a minute book.
At the end of the day, students will have an opportunity to ask questions and fill out an action plan.
