How to Take Minutes at Board Meetings

When properly used If they are used properly, board minutes can be a powerful tool for your organization. They provide proof that a meeting took place and record the decisions taken, but they also serve to provide legal documents that can be used in the event of litigation. It is not easy to take effective minutes of a board meeting. A simple oversight could leave you with a messy legal battle.

A little knowledge goes very far when it comes to writing minutes of meetings. It’s essential to know what to include, but equally important is knowing what not to. It’s important to write an impartial, objective report of the discussion without evoking anger or expressing personal disagreements. It’s a good idea to take notes throughout the meeting, but do not include side conversations that weren’t included on the agenda.

The format of the board minutes differs by organization, however the basic information needed is see this website as follows the following: Attendance (note who was in attendance including guests, board members and observers), the status of quorum (note whether there was an quorum present at the moment of the vote), agenda items and agenda items, order of business presentations, resolutions and dissenting votes. Note whether or not notice was given, the actions taken, as well as the next steps.