Write Minutes, Not Hours
By Jane Watson

Do you attend effective meetings? In other words, is information shared, decisions reached, and specific actions taken within a set time frame? Or, do you find yourself, going around in circles, rehashing information, and confused about what is to be done by whom?

If the latter is the case, chances are there are two problems with your meetings: a weak chair and poor minutes. A lot has been said and written about chairs. So let's focus on minutes.

1. Minutes are a permanent, formal record of what happened at a meeting. Only items discussed in front of meeting participants can be included in the minutes. Information updates or new information cannot be inserted. People who were not at the meeting cannot correct the minutes or vote on their acceptance. After all, they did not hear what was presented to the group.
   
   
2. If your group is one that starts by declaring, "The last person to the meeting must take the minutes," chances are your group spends a lot of time reviewing previously discussed information.  People who are not interested or who aren't clear on the importance of minutes and what was included in past minutes, often record incorrect information or don’t include essential details. This causes groups to "lose information in the cracks" or to waste time reviewing old details. Minute taking is essential to your group; it should not be used as punishment.
   
   
3. Another problem is people who try to be all things to their group. They try to chair the meeting, participate in the discussion and also carry out the note taking. Try is the operative word here. No one can do all that. It is difficult enough to chair and participate—without adding note taking. Generally, whenever a chair stops speaking to record ideas, the group stops speaking to watch the chair. The group constantly loses its energy. Don't be a weak chair afraid to ask for help.
   
   
4. Do your minutes read like "he said/she said" stories? If so, there should be a very good reason. Minutes should contain the key points of important discussions to show that a topic was thoroughly examined, but for most groups having a formal record of who said what on a certain day is seldom productive.You also run the risk of dividing the meeting participants into different camps as they are reminded of who supported them and who opposed them.
   
   
5. Some chairs become excited when they realize their minute takers can take shorthand. (By the way, people who can take shorthand are a dying breed and should be treasured.) They insist the recorder take down all comments verbatim. Why? People were bored enough in the meeting without having to read a complete debate afterward.

There are three other reasons verbatim minutes are not practical. First, even minute takers with superior shorthand abilities find it difficult to maintain the pace of recording exact words for more than an hour. If you need to do this, hire a court reporter with a shorthand machine. Second, few people can speak—off the cuff—eloquently for long periods. Your participants would not be happy to see their ramblings in print afterward. Third, if the minute taker cleans up the grammar and repairs disjointed comments, it consumes a lot of time—time that could be better spent on other duties.

Remember: Professional minutes support a committee or team. They don't repeat previously-discussed material or record the same point several times. Their purpose is to sum up discussions and action items so the group can move forward.

©2006, Jane Watson is dedicated to advancing business communications.
She is a consultant, author, keynoter and trainer and can be reached at jane@jwatsonassociates.com or (905) 820-9909.