ADVANCED MINUTE-TAKING SKILLS

CHARLES COTTER

AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH COUNCIL, PRETORIA27-28 OCTOBER 2016

www.slideshare.net/CharlesCotter

TRAINING PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

• Introduction

• Effective meetings management and practice

• 20, Best Practice Writing Principles

• Minute-taking: Best Practice Principles, Criteria, Guidelines and Process (theory)

• Application of minute-taking skills (practical role play exercise)

• E-mail communication: Best Practice Principles and Etiquette

• Memorandums: Format and Best Practice Principles

DOES THIS LOOK FAMILIAR WHEN TAKING AND WRITING MINUTES?

INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY• Individual activity:

• Complete the following statement by inserting one word only. In order to be an effective minute-taker, I need to/to be………………………………………………

• Jot this word down and find other learners who have written down the same word. Write this word down on the flip-chart.

• Each learner will have the opportunity to explain their choice of word.

COMMUNICATION CYCLE/PROCESS

DEFINING EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

• Communication is more than merely imparting meaning – it must also be understood.

• Effective communication occurs when the reader of a written document understands the message as the writer meant it to be understood. Therefore, effective communication is when the intended message of the sender is correctly interpreted, understood and acted upon by the recipient/listener.

• Communication is the lifeblood of teams. No team or organization can exist without communication i.e. the transference of meaning among its team members.

• It is only through transmitting meaning from one person to another that information and ideas can be conveyed.

• Implications of poor communication – for the writer and reader

WHY UNPRODUCTIVE MEETINGS?• Meetings can fail to be useful for any number of reasons:

Lack of purpose Lack of direction Failure to stick to topic Absence of topic Hidden agendas Attendees not prepared No record of decisions made

• This is avoidable – through effective meetings management.

CRITERIA FOR EFFECTIVE MEETINGS

• Effective meetings really boil down to three things:

They achieve the meeting's objective They take up a minimum amount of time They leave participants feeling that a sensible process

has been followed

• If you structure your meeting planning, preparation, execution and follow up around these three basic criteria, the result will be an effective meeting.

OBJECTIVES OF MEETINGS• A meeting is only a success if it achieves the objectives set for

that meeting.

• As a meeting Secretary, you should be clear about

Why any meeting is called Who should attend How the numbers of people can be reduced, (or how people can come

for the part of a meeting which affects them etc.) What is long-winded waffle, irrelevant, frustrating, boring and

irritating - and not leading to any results - and how to limit this What is actually achieved in the meeting What preparation you, your chairman and the meeting participants

need to do (and how to get them to do it)

MEETING OBJECTIVES Do you want a decision?

Do you want to generate ideas?

Are you getting status reports?

Are you communicating something?

Are you making plans?

• As a meeting secretary, before you do any meeting planning, you need to focus your objective.

USING TIME WISELY• To ensure you cover only what needs to be covered and you

stick to relevant activities, you need to create an agenda.

• To prepare an agenda, consider the following factors:

Priorities – what absolutely must be covered? Results – what do need to accomplish at the meeting? Participants – who needs to attend the meeting for it to be

successful? Sequence – in what order will you cover the topics? Timing – how much time will spend on each topic? Date and Time – when will the meeting take place? Place – where will the meeting take place?

USING TIME WISELY• The meeting secretary can then look at the information that should be

prepared beforehand. What do the participants need to know in order to make the most of the meeting time?

• What role are they expected to perform in the meeting, so that they can do the right preparation?

• If it's a meeting to solve a problem, ask the participants to come prepared with a viable solution. If you are discussing an on-going project, have each participant summarize his or her progress to date and circulate the reports amongst members.

• Assigning a particular topic of discussion to various people is another great way to increase involvement and interest. On the agenda, indicate who will lead the discussion or presentation of each item.

USING TIME WISELY• Use your agenda as your time guide. When you notice that time is

running out for a particular item, consider hurrying the discussion, pushing to a decision, deferring discussion until another time, or assigning it for discussion by a subcommittee.

• An important aspect of running effective meetings is insisting that everyone respects the time allotted. Start the meeting on time, do not spend time recapping for latecomers, and, when you can, finish on time.

• Whatever can be done outside the meeting time should be. This includes circulating reports for people to read beforehand, and assigning smaller group meetings to discuss issues relevant to only certain people.

SATISFYING PARTICIPANTS THAT A SENSIBLE PROCESS HAS BEEN FOLLOWED

• Running a meeting is not a dictatorial role: You have to be participative right from the start.

If certain people are dominating the conversation, make a point of asking others for their ideas.

At the end of each agenda item, quickly summarize what was said, and ask people to confirm that that's a fair summary. Then make notes regarding follow-up.

Note items that require further discussion. Watch body language and make adjustments as necessary. Maybe you need a

break, or you need to stop someone from speaking too much. Ensure the meeting stays on topic. List all tasks that are generated at the meeting. Make a note of who is assigned to

do what, and by when.

• At the close of the meeting, quickly summarize next steps and inform everyone that you will be sending out a meeting summary.

SATISFYING PARTICIPANTS THAT A SENSIBLE PROCESS HAS BEEN FOLLOWED

• After the meeting is over, take some time to debrief, and determine what went well and what could have been done better.

• Evaluate the meeting's effectiveness based on how well you met the objective. This will help you continue to improve your process of running effective meetings.

• You may even want to get the participants' feedback as well.

• Finally, prepare the meeting summary. It is a record of what was accomplished and who is responsible for what as the team moves forward.

• This is a very crucial part of effective meetings that often gets overlooked. You need a written record of what transpired, along with a list of actions that named individuals have agreed to perform. Make sure someone is assigned to take notes during the meeting if you think you will be too busy to do so yourself.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF MEETING PARTICIPANTS

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF MEETING PARTICIPANTS

• Chairperson/Facilitator (refer to pages 16-17 in the Learner Manual)

• Participants/Attendees (refer to pages 17-18 in the Learner Manual)

• Secretary/Scribe:

Take notes and document decisionsAt end of meeting, recap and validate decisions madeRead Action Items to attendees to confirm correctnessPublish final notes to pre-approved distribution list

LEARNING ACTIVITY 1

• Identify the most critical challenges/constraints to effective meetings at ARC. For each of these constraints, recommend an improvement strategy.

NOTICES AND AGENDA’S• All formal meetings require three primary documents:

A notice An agenda Minutes

• The notice of a meeting is sent out about a proposed meeting, long before the meeting to inform the members about the date, time and place.

• The agenda is to facilitate the procedure of the meeting and to ensure that no important discussions are overlooked.

• Refer to the examples of notices and agendas (pages 21-25 in the Learner Manual)

GENERIC AGENDA FORMAT• Opening and Welcome

• Attendance register

• Apologies

• Personalia

• Approval of Minutes of the previous meeting

• Matters arising (from previous meeting):

• Points of discussion (new matters):

• General (AOB):

• Date of subsequent meeting

• Closing

NOTICES AND AGENDA’S: BEST PRACTICE GUIDELINES

• Notices and agenda’s are written on the letterhead of the club or organization.

• The notice must contain the following information: what and type of meeting, who must attend the meeting, where the meeting will be held, when - the day, date time at which the meeting will be held.

• Each type of meeting will have a specific format and content for the agenda.

• The notice and agenda can appear on the same page.

• It must be signed by the secretary and must be dated.

• The notice for the Annual General Meeting must be sent out at least 21 days before the meeting.

• The notice for the monthly general meeting must be sent out 14 days before the meeting.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 2

• Compile a notice and agenda for a monthly general or operational meeting at ARC. Choose general, discussion topics that you would like to address.

BEST PRACTICE WRITING PRINCIPLES

20, BEST PRACTICE BUSINESS WRITING PRINCIPLES

• #1: A – B – C (ACCURACY – BREVITY – CLARITY) – “BE ON POINT AND TO THE POINT”

• #2: A – I – D –A (ATTENTION – INTEREST – DESIRE – ACTION)

• #3: “THINK BEFORE YOU INK” – USE 80 (THINKING)/20 (INKING) PRINCIPLE

• #4: HARMONIZATION OF THE BEST FIT METHODS – FIT FOR PURPOSE/MESSAGE/READER

• #5: BE STRATEGIC AND SELECTIVE - PROVIDE ONLY VALUE ADDING AND RELEVANT INFORMATION

20, BEST PRACTICE WRITING PRINCIPLES

• #6: “LESS IS MORE” – HAVE AN EFFICIENT AND ECONOMICAL WRITING STYLE

• #7: EMPATHIZE - “CUSTOMIZATION IS KING/QUEEN” – CONDUCT A READERSHIP ANALYSIS TO ACCOMMODATE THEM AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE – “SPEAK THE LANGUAGE THAT YOUR READER UNDERSTANDS”

• #8: INTEGRATE RATIONAL (LEFT BRAIN) AND CREATIVE (RIGHT BRAIN) THOUGHT PROCESSES

• #9: MARRY BEING METICULOUS (“EYE FOR DETAIL”) WITH FINDING CREATIVE WRITING SPACE (PSYCHOLOGICAL, EMOTIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL)

• #10: USE OF VISUAL STIMULI AND TECHNIQUES TO COMPLEMENT, SUPPORT AND PROMOTE A HIGHER LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING

20, BEST PRACTICE WRITING PRINCIPLES

• #11: ENSURE QUALITY ASSURANCE E.G. PROOF-READING; EDITING; SPELL CHECKING AND VERIFICATION OF INFORMATION

• #12: USE THE PURPOSE AS YOUR WRITING “GPS” – TO CONCENTRATE/DIRECT FOCUS TO THE ACHIEVEMENT OF OUTCOMES/OBJECTIVES

• #13: “DON’T WRITE TO IMPRESS, WRITE TO PROMOTE A HIGHER LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING.” – BE A AGENT OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

• #14: EMPLOY A “COMMUNITY OF WRITERS” APPROACH – THE VALUE OF CONSULTATION AND ENGAGEMENT

• #15: USE A PROPER STRUCTURE

20, BEST PRACTICE WRITING PRINCIPLES

• #16: APPLY THE WATERFALL APPROACH – VERTICAL ALIGNMENT AND SYNERGY BETWEEN THE KEY, MEETING DISCUSSION POINTS

• #17: “TOUR GUIDE” MENTALITY – DIRECT; NAVIGATE; ORIENTATE, INFORM; ADVISE, ENLIGHTEN AND CAPTIVATE THE READER

• #18: ADOPT A STORY TELLING MODE – LOGICAL AND COHERENT FLOW OF INFORMATION – NO SURPRISES!

• #19: THE REPORT SHOULD GENERATE BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE – ENABLING SMART OPERATIONAL AND STRATEGIC DECISION-MAKING

• #20: ADOPT A STRATEGIC MIND-SET – DEVELOP STRUCTURED, HOLISTIC AND WELL-PREPARED BUSINESS WRITING HABITS

BEST PRACTICE MINUTE-TAKING (COMPETENCE)

CONTENT

CONTEXTPROCESS

MINUTE-TAKING FUNDAMENTALS

• The definition and scope of minutes

• The implications of not recording minutes

• Tips and warnings

• The criteria of effective minutes

• Generic meeting terminology

DEFINING MINUTES AND THE SCOPE THEREOF

• Minutes are a detailed record of a meeting. The minutes record topics of conversation, actions needed and decisions made.

• Minutes ensure that there is an official record of the meeting, also documenting who was at a meeting and who was absent. Normally, one person is elected to keep the minutes, usually a secretary or treasurer.

• Minutes are checked at the next meeting as a true record of the proceedings and signed by the chairperson. Minutes should cover a number of basic things:

Where and when the meeting took place? Who was there and who was not? Who was the speaker and what did he/she say? What has been decided for the group (resolutions)? Who has agreed to do what? Who is responsible for implementing it? When should it be implemented?

THE IMPLICATIONS OF NOT RECORDING MINUTES

• Without minutes:

Nobody can be exactly sure what has been decided at meetings

Nobody can be sure about the various actions of Committee Members

Nobody can be sure who did or did not attend meetings The group is at the mercy of more organized bodies

who take the trouble to record decisions very carefully The group is vulnerable to take-over by any member of

the group who wants to take it over

MINUTE-TAKING: TIPS AND WARNINGS

• You do not need to record topics irrelevant to the business at hand. Taking minutes is not the same as taking dictation.

• Consult only the chairperson or executive officer, not the attendees, if you have questions.

• The person taking minutes does not participate in the meeting.

• Write in a concise, accurate manner, taking care not to include any sort of subjective opinion.

• No matter what type of minutes you take, focus on capturing and communicating all important actions that took place.

• Make sure all attendees sign the minutes before they are filed to demonstrate their agreement with the contents of the minutes

FORMAT OF GOOD MINUTES

EFFECTIVE MINUTE CONTENT

CRITERIA FOR GOOD MINUTES

• Be factual and accurate

• Be short and to the point (concise)

• Clearly indicate the meeting proceedings and discussions

• Concentrate on resolutions and decisions taken at the meeting

• Show decisions clearly marked “agreed” by the Committee Members

• Follow the agenda headings so that they are easily understood

CRITERIA FOR GOOD MINUTES• Be written in full sentences

• Indicate how many members attended the meeting or list their names

• State the time the meeting was opened and closed

• Be written in the past tense

• Be written in plain, easily understood language

• Be consistent in their format and content

GENERIC MEETING TERMINOLOGY

• Amendment

• Consensus

• Motion

• Proposal

• Resolution

• Unanimous

• Ad-hoc

LEARNING ACTIVITY 3

• Identify some of the foremost challenges when taking, transcribing and writing meeting minutes at ARC.

• For each of these challenges develop a viable solution/strategy to overcome these challenges.

• Compile a list of 10 best practice criteria for

good quality minutes.

BEST PRACTICE GUIDELINES FOR MINUTE-TAKERS

• Preparation (pre-meeting)

• Transcribing (during meeting)

• Writing minutes (after the meeting)

PREPARATION (PRE-MEETING)

• Obtain the meeting agenda, minutes from the last meeting, and any background documents to be discussed.

• Prepare an outline based on the agenda ahead of time, and leave plenty of white space for notes.

• Prepare a list of expected attendees and check off the names as people enter the room.

• To be sure about who said what, make a map of the seating arrangement, and make sure to ask for introductions of unfamiliar people.

• If you are an active participant in the meeting, be prepared.

• Don't be intimidated by the prospect of taking minutes. Concise and coherent minutes are the mark of a professional.

TRANSCRIBING (DURING MEETING)

• Sit beside the chairperson for convenient clarification or help as the meeting proceeds.

• Ensure that all of the essential elements are noted

• Note who arrives late or leaves early so that these people can be briefed on what they missed.

• Don't make the mistake of recording every single comment. Concentrate on getting the gist of the discussion and taking enough notes to summarize it later.

• Listen for key words or phrases. Try to capture basic ideas and the essence of what people say.

TRANSCRIBING (DURING MEETING)

• Use whatever recording method is comfortable for you

• Write down items in the order in which they are discussed.

• Write as clearly as possible. Abbreviate words, use initials to save time circle key ideas, statements or decisions. Underline highlights and differentiate important ideas. Use stars, arrows, numbers.

• Number all sheets. Note ‘Action’ beside motions or decisions requiring specific tasks. Note who is responsible for the action.

• Speak up (via the Chairperson) when the action is too fast.

• Record the motions made and the names of people who originate them.

• Record whether motions are adopted or rejected, how the vote is taken and whether the vote is unanimous. For small meetings, write the names of the attendees who approve, oppose and abstain from each motion.

WRITING MINUTES (AFTER THE MEETING)

• Don't wait too long (procrastinate) to type up the minutes, especially while your memory is fresh.

• Use the approved format/template of minutes.

• Consider attaching long resolutions, reports or other supplementary material to the minutes as an annexure/appendix.

• Consult with subject matter experts and/or attendees to verify the accuracy of recorded minutes.

• Proofread the minutes before submitting them.

• Be sure to have the minutes approved by the chair or facilitator before distributing them to the attendees.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 4 • By referring to the best practice list of guidelines for

effectively taking, transcribing and writing meetings minutes, conduct a 15 minute, mock meeting. Nominate the roles of Chairperson, Secretary and Participants.

• The Secretary should record and write-up the minutes. • By referring to the best practice checklist (Learning

Activity 3), the other group members will constructively evaluate these meetings and provide feedback.

E-MAIL COMMUNICATION

FUNDAMENTALS OF E-MAIL COMMUNICATION

• Guidelines to improve e-mail writing skills

• Writing professional e-mails

• Improving your e-mail writing style

• Writing business e-mails

• Golden Rules of Email Etiquette

GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE E-MAIL COMMUNICATION

GUIDELINES TO IMPROVE E-MAIL WRITING SKILLS

• When sending an e-mail in the workplace it is key to maintain a level of professionalism and clarity, regardless of the recipient.

Use short words rather than long ones and familiar words instead of fancy. Make your e-mail easy to read.

Don't let your writing ramble on and on - be specific and avoid repetition.

Arrange your points in logical form, and reinforce your ideas and message in a clear and precise way.

Always check for mistakes.

Remember that you are writing to busy people. Present the most relevant information so you don't waste their time. If you have more to say, let the reader know you are willing to discuss your point further in a later e-mail.

WRITING PROFESSIONAL E-MAILS

• Decide who should be included in the email. Include anyone who may be involved in the project or benefit from the information in the e-mail.

• Write the subject line. This should be informative and direct, as it is the first thing the recipients will see when sorting through their inbox. To be clear, the subject line should call to attention the main issue in the e-mail.

• Attach all necessary documents for the e-mail.

• Include a short greeting to the recipients.

• Write the body of the email. It is important to be concise with the information given, starting with the most important information first. Ask yourself "What do the recipients need to know?" When writing, be appropriate. Do not include exclamation points, emoticons or unnecessary capitalization as they all come across as unprofessional.

• Give your name and contact information for the signature of the e-mail. This will let people know who you are and where they can reach you if they need more details.

IMPROVING YOUR E-MAIL WRITING STYLE

• Use full sentences.

• Avoid full caps

• Slow down

• Have a beginning and an end (structure)

• Re-read your email before you send it

• Avoid overusing adverbs, adjectives and long sentences

• Lose the acronyms

• Take advantage of punctuation

• Use spell check

• Do not, under any circumstances, forward chain letters

• Respond to group e-mails appropriately

• Use actual English

• Don’t use your company e-mail for private e-mails

• Utilize CC and BCC properly

• Be careful what you say

• Lose the attitude

• Don’t be a spammer

• Respect laws and regulations

• Get clarification

• Delete unnecessary content

• Keep signatures simple

LEARNING ACTIVITY 5

• Identify some of the common mistakes made by e-mail senders that cause/create irritation and frustration on the part of the recipients at ARC. For each of these common mistakes identify an improvement strategy.

• Develop a Code of Good Practice: Proper and Professional e-mail Etiquette (10 principles) for all e-mail users at your organization.

WRITING MEMORANDUM’S• Purpose of Memo’s

• Written well, business memo’s are an efficient, effective way to communicate within an organization.

• Memo Sections

HeadingOpeningBodyClosing

MEMORANDUM FORMAT

LEARNING ACTIVITY 6

• Develop a set of 10 best practice criteria/guidelines for effective Memorandum writing at ARC.

CONCLUSION

• SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS

• LEARNING “TAKE-AWAYS"

• QUESTIONS

• TRAINING ADMINISTRATION

• CERTIFICATION

• THANK YOU!

CONTACT DETAILS

• Charles Cotter

• (+27) 84 562 9446

• charlescot@polka.co.za

• LinkedIn

• Twitter: @Charles_Cotter

• http://www.slideshare.net/CharlesCotter