The Art of Minute Taking

Learn all the skills to take accurate and effective minutes and action points for a variety of meeting types.

This one-day workshop supports participants to become more effective and confident taking minutes for a variety of different meeting types and processes. You will develop the skills to prepare for and structure meetings as well as accurately record them. We'll consider everyday business to more formal environments and contexts.

​This is an interactive workshop setting with both presentations and group activities and supported by a workbook and templates for ongoing use. Knowledge of shorthand is not required.

Designed for
Anyone who is new to minute taking, looking for a refresher, or wanting to improve their skills. 

Learning content

• Recognise the common challenges involved in minute taking
• Identify the requirements of effective meetings
• Identify tools available to record minutes
• Identify different types of minute templates and minute styles and at what meetings to use them
• Use an action points list effectively
• Write effective minutes (includes practical exercises)
• Use three proven techniques to make minute taking easier
• Determine what needs to be recorded
• Use a three step approach to recording discussion
• Understand formal meeting procedures in relation to recording motions and amendments correctly
• Review the process for taking in committee minutes
• Effective record keeping
• Recognise the legal issues relating to minute taking
• Effective agenda formulation.

Learning outcomes

• The requirements and procedures of different meeting types
• To recognise common challenges involved in minute-taking
• To identify the tools, templates and styles available, and when to use them
• How to formulate agendas and meeting preparation
• To record discussions and action points effectively
• What are the formal meeting procedures including motions, amendments and relevant legal issues.

Duration
One day, 9am – 4.30pm

Group
Limited to a maximum of 12 participants. 

Your facilitator – Sherie Pointon 
Sherie Pointon is the director of Admin Advantage, and her passion is the professional development of all business support professionals.

Sherie has been an administrative professional for over 20 years in the public and not-for-profit sector, and has held positions such as the National 1st Vice President of the Association of Administrative Professionals NZ Inc (AdmiNZ), Executive Officer at the Institute of Public Administration NZ (IPANZ), Personal Assistant to the Principal of a large New Zealand Secondary School, Personal Assistant to tier two Managers in the Education Government Agencies (ERO and TEC) and Business/Project Manager at Ako Aotearoa, the National Centre for Tertiary Teaching Excellence as well as a range of administration roles. Sherie has also been a finalist two years running in the prestigious Administrative Professional Award.

Sherie continues to work in business support roles on contract, including as Executive Officer of AdmiNZ. Being an active practitioner is an important part of knowing what current practice in administration is. Sherie is also the Chair of Carterton School Board of Trustees, Board Member of Hockey Wairarapa and Trustee of the Wairarapa Sports Artificial Turf Trust.

Sherie is a popular speaker at conferences throughout New Zealand and internationally and has an interactive and fun training style that allows participants to expand their skills and knowledge. Sherie holds qualifications in teaching (Tertiary and Secondary) along with a Bachelor of Arts degree and AdmiNZ Certification.
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Testimonials: What others are saying?
"The workshop was a lot more interesting than I expected and demonstrated how there truly is an art to minute-taking. The information was practical and easy to understand. There were clear takeaways from the course that can be applied instantly in the workplace. Sherie's attitude and passion for the administration profession is clear and she created a welcoming environment in the room for everyone to feel comfortable and confident to contribute to the discussion during the day. I recommend the workshop for anyone who regularly takes minutes for meetings and would like more structure and clarity around how to do so. It is a great skill for administrators in any industry."

"More fun and engaging than minutes have ever been, I'm excited for my next meeting to put these new skills into action."