Reflecting on meeting notes is an ordinary and necessary part of the business to note the importance of what has been discussed. Assurance that the meeting went well and that you covered all your bases gives you peace of mind while you wait for the outcome. They can be used to make decisions, record new ideas, track progress and even create a basis for reporting to the board of directors. But a poorly planned meeting can do more damage than good. It may not be immediately obvious whether the meeting was successful but it’s a good idea to keep a close eye on the minutes and note the action items and agenda items in well-written meeting minutes.
Team meetings are often used to bring people together, such as board members, trade unions, and committee meetings. These team meetings arise to plan strategies or discuss new ideas and should include a meeting leader and meeting agenda. But they can also be used as an opportunity for someone to present an agenda and agenda items that have been put together. A board meeting can be hijacked to serve some vested interest which is why taking meeting minutes with a clearly written table of contents are so important to not lose the essence of the meeting discussed by team members.
Meeting minutes are an essential communication tool that convey the essential points of the meeting are captured. Good minute taking hinges on skill. Is the person that is taking meeting minutes a professional? Do they follow best practices when creating meeting documents? Are they proficient in the language used in the team meeting? Do they have the required note taking skills? Are they able to afford the required attention to detail? Using a trained and professional virtual assistant for taking meeting minutes will provide you with meeting notes that are accurate, brief and clear, and save you precious time.
Audio transcription is the art of converting voice recordings to script. This involves multitasking and research in finding the right word for each recorded sentiment. A good transcriber should be a linguist of sorts and abreast of the terminology used in various sectors of business. For this reason, alone businesses can benefit from investing in the services of a professional to ensure accuracy when recording team meeting notes.
HOW TO WRITE MINUTES OF A MEETING – PRO TIP
Accuracy depends on the following factors:
- Quality of the recording equipment. Mediocre equipment will result in muffled and crackling recordings that are difficult to transcribe. Important words and phrases get lost. In criminal law proceedings, this can have detrimental repercussions. Quality headphones and digital recorders are essential to accurate transcription.
- Competence. Is the transcriber competent in the use of the recording devices? Are they trained and skilled to convert the audio files to text correctly?
Brevity
Brevity is achieved by skillfully interpreting and eliminating all the diplomatic banter before and in between, and by determining the core of a matter. It involves highlighting only what is relevant and beneficial to parties engaged in negotiations. Keeping the minutes brief is an art best left to a professional virtual assistant. Determining what to include when writing meeting notes is a skill developed over time.
The clarity of your minutes depends on the following:
- Language. Is the transcriber proficient in the particular language and industry jargon? Are they bilingual or multilingual? The last thing you want at your meeting is an overconfident employee that wades into deep water unprepared. Language comprehension is key and prepares the way for excellent summaries and sound conclusions.
- The ability to paraphrase or rewrite also affects the clarity of the final product. This is an important criterion because it can be the hardest to achieve. The reason for this is that it requires an understanding of the problem space and how the solution can be achieved.
Write effective meeting minutes covering every agenda item in the meeting room
When writing effective meeting minutes, they usually include:
The type of meeting organized, the organization name, table of contents, meeting date and time, location, the attendees, members unable to attend the meeting, approval of the previous meeting minutes and motions and votes.
Businesses and companies everywhere are increasingly making use of the value that professional virtual assistants provide. Consider hiring a professional transcriber to write meeting minutes so that you can remain focused in your next meeting
