Meetings: they’re held every day, yet most are unproductive. And that’s not just our opinion, it’s something that’s been noted in academic research.
A big reason for this is that many meetings lack structure and purpose. That is: knowing why you’re meeting, having a clear agenda, and staying on track. Taking minutes is one part of this picture.
Minutes, i.e taking a record of what’s said and agreed during a meeting, helps keep your team focused and aligned. It’s a way to assign tasks and plan for what’s next. FYI: minutes are also an official record of what was discussed and can be used in legal proceedings.
Yet taking minutes can feel like an overwhelming job. But don’t worry: we’ve got you. We’re no strangers to minute-taking here at Kindred. Here’s our advice for making the process as efficient (and as painless) as possible.
Contents
Why minutes matter
How should I format my minutes?
Writing minutes efficiently: top tips (template included)
Why minutes matter
Minutes are an official record of what’s been said. They outline the decisions made during the meeting, including what tasks have been assigned to whom (and when they’re due). This helps teams divvy up work and get things done.
Yet according to a 2024 survey by the company iBABS, just 65% of respondents saying that they took minutes during meetings.
Plus, minutes can be used in audits and legal proceedings. And in fact, when it comes to director’s board meetings, they are a legal requirement. So it’s important that you give an accurate and objective account of the discussion. That means checking all the names, dates, facts and figures you’ve recorded.
How should I format my minutes?
There’s no one way to format your minutes. Some organisations have their own conventions: the University of Bath has a system for how paragraphs should be numbered, for instance. But broadly, here’s what your notes should contain:
- Title of the meeting. This basically just describes what type of meeting it is, for example: quarterly business review, minutes of board of directors
- Date and location
- Attendance
- Meeting objectives
- Summary of discussion: only include the key information (more on this below)
- Decisions made. This includes the results of any votes made
- Actions and who is responsible for them
- Date for next meeting
It’s always a good idea to check with your company if they have a particular format they’d like you to use.
Writing minutes efficiently: top tips
Okay, but how can you be sure to get all this down as efficiently as possible? Here’s our top tips (plus a template you can use).
Focus on the key takeaways
Your meeting minutes shouldn’t read as a transcription of the discussion: you don’t want to give a blow-by-blow account of who said what. Instead, you want to capture the key takeaways. That usually means what was agreed upon (the outcomes of the discussion) and any actions that were assigned.
Here, good preparation is key. The intended aims of the meeting should be laid out in the agenda, or otherwise made clear to attendees. That’s the key information you’re listening out for.
Remember that these minutes are meant to be a helpful reference for other people in your company. Think about what information would be most useful to them.
Keep it succinct
An hour-long meeting could translate into over 8,000 written words. There is no-one who wants to read an 8,000 word document following on from a meeting, if they can help it.
Instead, try to keep your document as clear and concise as possible. Focus on capturing the most important insights, giving context only where necessary for others who might read the minutes later.
Adding too much detail can also detract from the importance of those key points. It can add ambiguity or confusion around what was agreed, the direction you’re going in, and who is supposed to do what.
Fun fact: in the UK government guidance on minute taking from 2001, “Brief but intelligible” is listed as the first trait of a good minutes document.
Listen, then write
No matter how fast a writer you are, you probably won’t be able to match the pace of speech. And it’s not advisable anyway. When you’re scrambling around to note down everything, you aren’t taking in what you’re hearing as well as you could.
Instead, listen as points are being made and then summarise them in your own words. Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification if you need to: it prevents misunderstandings down the line.
Keep it impersonal
Your minutes generally shouldn’t name names, unless absolutely necessary (for instance, to indicate who has been assigned to do which task). If there’s a discussion, you don’t want to note down who held which views: you only need to note the outcome. And in that case, you can use collective language, like: “it was agreed that”.
There are exceptions to this. For example, some meetings or organisations may require you to note down how each person voted. This is something you’ll be aware of before you go in to take the minutes.
But generally speaking: remember that you’re there to record decisions and actions, not people’s individual opinions.
Good minutes should stand alone
Another tip from the UK government guidance: minutes should be easily understandable on their own, without anyone having to read any other supporting documents. They’re a record of action for that particular meeting. Relevant teammates should be able to pick them up and understand what was agreed upon and what’s expected of them.
This also makes it a lot easier for busy people to read and digest the document.
Think about structure first
It can be useful to think about how you’ll structure your minutes before the meeting. This can help you get a sense of what you should be listening out for and noting down.
And to quote the UK government guidance again: “To produce a good minute, you must get clear, from the start, the framework around which you are going to build, i.e. the essential points leading up to the conclusion. You will not get the same result if you first try to summarise everything that was said and then consider what you can afford to miss out.”
Use a template (here’s ours)
Using a template can help take away some of the mental load in coming up with a structure for your minutes. Sometimes, your company will provide you one. But if you aren’t in that camp, you can use ours.
[Meeting title] meeting minutes
Date:
Location:
Time:
Attendees: Who was at the meeting
Agenda items discussed: Summarise the key points
Decisions made: Summarise key decisions made
Action points: Outline any actions that were decided on, along with who is responsible for them and the deadline
Date of next meeting:
Your West London meeting room
Minutes are essential to a good, productive meeting. And the venue can help in setting the right tone.
Whether you’re looking to host a wider company meeting or a smaller group of company directors, we have the space to suit. Kindred is a Grade II listed Baroque mansion: our meeting rooms are stately and sophisticated, but with a warm and modern touch.
For groups of up to 16 people, there’s the Butterwick room, with original 18th century panelling, high ceilings, and lots of natural daylight. Just across the hall is The Library, which can sit up to 40 people at a long boardroom table. When the room is arranged in theatre style, we can seat 45. It’s a popular choice for training, larger team meetings, workshops, and senior offsites.
Take a look at our brochure for daytime events, read more about meetings at Kindred, or get in touch with our events team directly.
