How to take effective meeting minutes
Don’t sweat it if your asked to take notes during a meeting. There is a 7 point, easy and effective formula for taking kick-ass meeting minutes that will make you look like a pro when you’re done. Log important decisions, and create a helpful point of reference for everyone who attends. Following this wont take more then 20 minutes of your time after the actual meeting to compose.
Before you start, add a snappy heading, preferably something that co-relates with the meeting invite you all got, Then get cracking with the following seven headings:
In attendance:
Who is present and where are they from and state the responsible note taker
Date & location:
what date is it and where are you
Agenda:
If you have one, or the purpose/goal of the meeting, why you are there and what you want out of the meeting.
Meeting notes:
Start by adding any points raised.
Decisions:
Highlight decisions from the meeting, in co-relation to any points raised.
Actions:
List the actions from the meeting and add who is responsible for it and if there is a deadline for the action. This is your collective to-do list after the meeting and helps you follow up.
Deadlines:
if there are any key dates or crucial dates raised, list them as well, add them to an action, if related to one, or list separately.
Whip this template up in a word doc/Evernote or whatever you use, or download a template here and you’re good to go.