What are the main challenges of minute-writing?

As a minute-writer, you need to listen carefully to discussions, record relevant points, and present that information in an accurate, clear, concise and useful format.

During the meeting, you need to listen actively for important points to record. You must know the difference between the relevant and the irrelevant, plus differentiate between the nice-to-know and the need-to-know. This can be challenging when a discussion is lively or fast-paced.

After the meeting, when you begin compiling your notes, you must consider the type of minutes you are writing. Are they narrative or action minutes? What are the requirements for each type?

On top of it all, you need to be sure that your language is clear and concise, and accurately portrays the issues discussed.

What do you gain from this two-day workshop?

This workshop discusses the various actions you could take before, during, and after a meeting, to facilitate and improve the note-taking and minute-writing processes.

You will have a better understanding of what a typical minute format is like, and how each section of the minutes can be labelled and written.

You will receive practical tips on listening and taking notes effectively, and learn the appropriate language and grammar for portraying various situations in writing up your minutes.

Note

This workshop covers skills for writing minutes of operational meetings, not minutes of board meetings and other corporate meetings, which follow specific procedures and formats.

Workshop Objectives

1. Know how to prepare yourself to take accurate notes during the meeting.
2. Appreciate how an agenda should be written, and how it helps in the running of an effective meeting and taking the minutes.
3. Know how to actively listen during the meeting, and record the necessary points.
4. Understand the difference between the need-to-know and nice-to-know, and know what to record.
5. Study a typical minute format, and understand how the various segments can be written.
6. Use the language of minutes more confidently.
7. Write concise sentences and paragraphs so your minutes are easier to read.
8. Be aware of accepted timelines in preparing meeting documents.

Workshop Highlights

• Working with the Chairperson
• Preparing yourself for the meeting
• Preparing an agenda
• Keeping pace with the meeting

• Playing your role effectively
• Focused listening – Practice
• Developing your own shorthand
• Knowing how to interrupt, clarify, and confirm
• Picking out main points, ideas, and actions
• Distinguishing between nice-to-know and need-to-know

• Types of minutes you may have to write
• A typical minutes format
• How to write:
  
  • Apologies
  • Minutes of Last Meeting
  • Matters Arising
  • Any Other Business

• Taking minutes at a mock meeting
• Writing up the draft

• Using short words
• Writing short sentences
• Using paragraphs effectively
• Recording specific information
• Recording actions
• Using the correct tenses for reported speech
• Including attachments
• Distributing the minutes

It's enriching, fun, interesting and the workshop leader has a great sense of humour.
VP, Business Development,
Cherry Credits Pte Ltd

Course leader kept the programme interesting and interactive throughout the session. A very informative programme!
Operations Manager,
Cherry Credits Pte Ltd

Good workshop. Precise, clear and entertaining.
Management Support Officer,
Ngee Ann Polytechnic

The course was concise but very informative. The trainer was very well prepared and organised.
Management Support Officer,
Ngee Ann Polytechnic

I have learnt the correct way of presenting minutes of meeting. It was indeed an enriching programme for me!
Secretary,
Keppel Energy Pte Ltd