| So let's focus on minutes. 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
3 Reasons Minutes are NOT Practical
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.
About Jane
©2002, 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.
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