Minute Taking

How to accurately record information and action from meetings

1 Day - Non Residential

This one day workshop will teach you how to take and create easy to read, effective minutes. As such, this minute taking training course is essential for anyone who is, or will be, responsible for taking minutes in meetings.

You will get from this course:

• 1. Knowledge of the role and responsibilities of the minute taker
• 2. Understanding of the different types of minutes produced
• 3. Practice of the key skills needed to create professional minutes
• 4. Confidence to undertake this difficult but important role in any meeting
• 5. A Course Certificate
• 6. CD of up to date self-development and reference materials to reinforce your learning
• 7. On going support via e-train, Spearhead’s scheduled e-communications of additional tips and advice to sustain your motivation and support your personal development when you are back at work
• 8. Access to the Spearhead telephone Help-line so you can get individual post-course support from your tutor when you want it

“Excellent day – very interesting. Just what I needed”

No other minute taking workshop gives you more…

Delegate spaces available on the following course dates:

Fee includes course materials, use of video and other training equipment as required. Lunch and light refreshments are also included. Prepared key topic notes for delegates' future reference are provided. The number of delegates attending each course is limited in order to ensure individual participation.

If overnight accommodation is required we often have special arrangements with local hotels.

 

Programme Contents

• The Purpose of Meetings
• - The Different Types of Meetings
• - What Participants Need
• Types of Minutes
• Working with the Chair
• - Who does What and When?
• Using the Agenda
• - How to Write Effective Agendas
• Taking Minutes
• - Effective Listening
• - How to Take Notes
• - Being Selective
• - Sorting Information
• - Practical Session
• Producing Minutes
• - How to Lay Out Minutes
• - Structure and Clarity
• Considering Writing Styles
• - Developing the Right Tone
• - Using Professional Language
• - Knowing What to Avoid
• Personal Action Plan

Description of Course

The participants in a meeting rely heavily on the minute taker to record the outcomes of the meeting. Thus, those with the ability to produce accurate and well structured minutes quickly build a reputation as a valued member of the meetings they attend and minute.

This one-day minute taking training workshop has been designed to provide a structured review of the process of taking and creating effective minutes. As such, it is suitable for those who wish to brush up their minute taking skills and for those new to minute taking who want to know how to do this, often challenging, job.

The course starts by identifying the different types of business meetings and the types of minutes taken. The responsibilities of the minute taker are clarified before the course moves on to focus on the skills and techniques needed to take good meeting notes as well as tips to overcome the common problems the minute taker faces. Finally the course looks at how to produce the minutes themselves.

The course is highly participative and is run with small groups to create a friendly and encouraging learning environment. From the very start of the course delegates will be given the opportunity, using a variety of specially designed exercises, to practice the techniques taught. This helps them develop the skills necessary for success at each stage and builds individual confidence. Every delegate also receives a very comprehensive set of course support materials that they can refer to after the course. Additional post-course support can also be obtained by contacting the special delegate help line. This help line allows delegates to talk directly with the tutor so they can receive help with any post-course implementation issues they may face.

Our dedicated training centre in Oxfordshire is used for this course and the course is run at regularly scheduled dates throughout the year. This training centre has the advantage of being conveniently located so the majority of delegates can travel to and from the training centre to attend the training course without the need for an overnight stay. If you do need to arrive the night before the course then there are a number of hotels conveniently close to the training centre that you can book – our administrators will send you details of hotels in your joining instructions, or you can call them and they will happily email them to you.

In summary, attending this one day minute taking training course is an excellent investment of your time. As a result of attending your confidence will increase and you will become more effective in producing high quality minutes.