Board meeting minutes are a critical part of any board’s operations. They provide a written record of what was discussed and decided at a meeting and can be used to hold board members accountable for their actions.
However, taking minutes can be a pain point for many board members, as it can be time-consuming and difficult to capture all the important information. But it doesn’t have to be this way! There are plenty of ways to make minute-taking easier and less stressful.
In this article, we’ll share some of the best tips and tricks for conquering the pain points of board meeting minutes. So read on and start taking minutes like a pro!
Get Organized Before The Meeting Starts
Minute taking can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be if you take a little time to get organized before the meeting starts. Make sure you have all of the necessary information in front of you, including the agenda and any supporting documents. This will help ensure that you don’t miss anything important during the meeting.
In addition to having all of the information in front of you, it’s also important to gather all of the necessary information ahead of time. This includes contact information for all attendees, as well as any other relevant details.
Make sure you have all of your materials ready and in order so that you don’t have to scramble at the last minute. If there are documents that need to be reviewed or discussed during a meeting, make sure they are available beforehand so that they don’t distract from the discussion at hand.
Have A Good System For Capturing Information
It’s important to remember that your goal is to take notes of all relevant information from each speaker. This means any decisions made by the board or committee members during their discussion—not just what each person says but also who said it, when they said it, and where they said it (if there are multiple locations).
Consider using a digital recording device so that you don’t have to take notes by hand in a meeting where everyone else is typing away on their laptops or tablets. If you’d rather not go digital, ensure that you have an efficient way of writing down what’s said in the meeting, such as a notebook or note cards with important points written on them ahead of time.
Focus On The Key Points
You don’t need to write down every single word that’s said during your meetings. You just need to focus on the key points so that no one has to read through pages of notes for you when you review them later on. This will save you time and energy—and help prevent any disputes over what was actually said in the meeting.
If you’re not getting them right away, ask questions. If there’s something that isn’t clear or that you need more information on, don’t hesitate to ask questions until everyone involved understands what they’re talking about.
It may look like you’re just taking notes while everyone else is talking, but actually, you’re doing everyone a favor by helping them communicate more effectively with one another so they can get straight to their point without wasting time explaining things over and over again.
Use Board Meeting Software
Board meeting software makes it easy to manage, distribute, and share minutes between board members and stakeholders. You can add notes and attachments as well as set deadlines for documents so that everyone has the same information at their fingertips. This is especially helpful if you’re trying to make an important decision about a project or initiative.
Getting into a habit of using board meeting software will help save a lot of time in the long run because it allows you to take down notes more efficiently than if you were doing it by hand or by typing them into Word documents later on. The best part? Most programs allow you to type up notes during the meeting so that they’re ready as soon as it ends.
Use Templates And Checklists
Templates can help keep things on track while still allowing room for flexibility in how each meeting plays out, which helps keep things interesting and engaging for everyone involved in the process. You can use these same templates over and over again so that nothing gets lost in translation between meetings.
Also, consider using checklists—these are great when you want to ensure everything is covered before moving on to another part of the agenda. They also make it easier for other people (like your assistant or volunteer) to follow along with what’s going on in each phase of your process.
When reviewing your notes after a meeting, templates or checklists can also help you organize your thoughts before sharing them with others. This will make it easier for everyone involved to review minutes later down the road.
Review And Distribute Minutes Promptly
You want to ensure everyone has access to the most up-to-date minutes as soon as possible after a meeting is over. This makes it easier for people to review them while they are fresh in their minds so they can plan ahead for upcoming discussions or decisions related to what occurred during the meeting at hand.
This should go without saying, but it’s important that your board members get their copies of the meeting minutes as quickly as possible after it happened so that they can refer back to them if questions come up later down the road (which they probably will).
Conclusion
Taking board meeting minutes doesn’t have to be hard. With a little planning and preparation, you can easily conquer the pain points and create minutes that are accurate and helpful. By following these tips, you can make sure they are concise and informative.
Board meeting minutes are a valuable tool for board members, so make sure you take the time to get them right.
