1. How to Create Effective
Meeting Minutes
eHow Contirbutor
2. • Have you ever been part of a team or committee
that held meetings that went nowhere? It can be
frustrating to sit through a meeting that rehashes
the same old business without moving forward or to
have action items assigned that never get completed.
When no one in the meeting can remember what was
decided in previous meetings, discussions end up going
around in circles. This type of meeting is a waste of
everyone's time. To ensure that meetings are well run
and effective, it's important to start with a planned
agenda and produce effective meeting minutes. This
article provides some suggestions on how to take
meeting minutes.
3. • Things You’ll Need
• Paper and pen or laptop
computer to create meeting
minutes
• Copy machine or printer to
create copies of meeting
minutes
4. INSTRUCTIONS
• 1. Meeting minutes originate with notes
that are taken by a designated meeting
attendee. The notes are formally written
up and each meeting attendee receives a
copy. These formal minutes are a record
of decisions made and action items
assigned. Notes for meeting minutes can
be taken by hand or typed into a laptop
computer. The laptop has definite
advantages since the minutes can more
easily be created from the notes.
5. INSTRUCTIONS
2. The designated person who
creates the minutes of a meeting
should not be the person who runs
the meeting. In an organization, the
role of secretary may be created for
this job. Another alternative in a
work situation is to have the minutes
taking job rotate between team
members.
6. INSTRUCTIONS
4. Meeting minutes should include the date,
time and location of the meeting. Attendees
should be listed and absent attendees can be
noted. Each major discussion topic should be
listed, along with important comments,
decisions and action items. The notes don't
need to be a word-for-word description, just
an overview of the most important points
from the discussion. For each action item,
list whom it was assigned to and when it is
expected to be reported on or completed.
7. INSTRUCTIONS
5. To ensure the accuracy of meeting
minutes, it's a good idea to complete
the formal write up as soon as possible
after the meeting. The completed
minutes can be emailed to attendees
for corrections, additions and
feedback. Quickly distributing the
minutes will remind everyone about
assigned action items.
8. INSTRUCTIONS
5. Always keep the tone of
meeting minutes
impartial, respectful and
professional. Don't leave
room for misinterpretation
by people who weren't at
the meeting.
9. TIPS AND WARNINGS
• At the end of the minutes, list the
date, time and location of the next
meeting. The meeting agenda is a great
starting point for the meeting minutes
format. For each agenda topic, fill in
information about decisions and action
items. The meeting minutes can be used as
the foundation for the next meeting's
agenda. In the meeting minutes, use bold
face type to highlight important items and
bullets to organize discussion items.
