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How to Transcribe Minutes
  1. Never defer this important task. Remember the cycle of the regular meeting, and the need to distribute minutes promptly. Also it pays to transcribe while the meeting's business is still fresh in your mind.
  2. What conventions? Check in advance with the chairperson as to the format conventions to be applied – narrative, action, resolution. Note that some meetings adopt the convention of never referring to a speaker by name but of using an impersonal construction: "It was suggested that..." or "Strong reservations were expressed about...". Make sure you know the adopted conventions before you start.
  3. Be diplomatic: Sometimes feelings run high in meetings and members say things in the heat of the moment which they would consider ill-advised in calmer moments. No one will thank you for highlighting such moments in painful accuracy. In these cases it is both diplomatic and prudent to convey the sentiment and not precise words.
  4. Condense discussions: Busy secretaries learn how to condense lengthy and sometimes digressing discussions with phrases like: "After a general discussion it was decided to..."
  5. Seek to convey the important points quickly and simply. Managers are busy and prefer the short to the long, provided that arguments are not distorted. Always ensure that you convey the action statement – what was decided – clearly and accurately since minutes serve as written records and you have a duty to provide a faithful transcript. If you have problems over transcribing a sensitive item, consult with the chairperson and abide by his/her advice.
  6. Always maintain the confidentiality of your draft minutes until the chairperson has approved them.
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