How to Write Effective Meeting Minutes (MoMs)

Shubham Aggarwal bliro.io
Shubham Aggarwal
March 8, 2024
5 min read
How to Write Effective Meeting Minutes (MoMs)

Whether it's a small business, an MNC or a non-profit, taking meetings are an essential part of business-as-usual. And with meetings come meeting minutes - the official record of what was discussed, decided, and assigned during the meeting so the company has an official record of what conversations went through for certain decisions.  

Taking effective meeting minutes is crucial to keeping everyone in the team on the same page, and ensuring that decisions and action items are properly documented. In this article, we'll discuss the importance of moms (minutes of meeting) and provide tips on how to take effective meeting minutes mom.

Why Are Meeting Minutes Important?

Meeting minutes serve as a legal record of what was discussed and decided during a meeting. They provide a clear and concise summary of the meeting, including any decisions made, action items assigned, and any other important information discussed.

In addition to being a legal record, meeting minutes also serve as a reference for attendees to review what was discussed and assigned. They can also be used as a tool for accountability, as they clearly outline who is responsible for completing specific tasks.

Large city governments need meeting minutes moms

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Meeting Minutes for Large Multi-National Companies

For large Multinational Corporations (MNCs), meeting minutes usually play a crucial role in documenting important discussions, decisions, and action items. In a complex organizational structure with multiple departments and stakeholders, clear and concise meeting minutes are essential for ensuring alignment and accountability across the organization.

Large MNCs deal with a wide range of topics during meetings, including strategic planning, financial performance, market trends, operational updates and most importantly, customer facing calls. Therefore, detailed meeting minutes are vital for capturing the essence of these discussions and tracking progress on key initiatives. Utilizing meeting minutes software can be particularly beneficial for large MNCs to streamline the documentation process, assign tasks efficiently, and facilitate collaboration among teams spread across different locations.

Meeting Minutes for Government Entities

For government entities, such as city councils, meeting minutes are especially important. They serve as a public record of the decisions made by elected officials and provide transparency to the community.

For example, the Rochester, Minnesota City Council publishes their meeting minutes on their website for the public to access. This allows citizens to stay informed about what is happening in their city and hold their elected officials accountable.

Tips for Taking Effective Meeting Minutes

Now that we understand the importance of meeting minutes, let's discuss some tips for taking effective meeting minutes.

Prepare Before the Meeting

Before the meeting even begins, it's important to prepare for taking minutes. This includes reviewing the agenda and any relevant documents or reports that will be discussed during the meeting.

It's also helpful to have a template for taking minutes, which can include sections for the meeting date, attendees, action items, and decisions made. This will help keep your notes organized and make it easier to create a final document.

Be a Good Listener

During the meeting, it's crucial to be an active listener. Pay attention to what is being said and take notes on the key points and decisions made. It's also important to listen for any action items that are assigned and make note of who is responsible for completing them.

Use Clear and Concise Language

When taking minutes, it's important to use clear and concise language. Avoid using jargon or technical terms that may not be understood by everyone. Stick to the main points and avoid including unnecessary details.

Record Decisions and Action Items

Meeting minutes software

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One of the most important aspects of meeting minutes is recording decisions and action items. This includes any motions made and the outcome of the vote, as well as any tasks assigned to individuals or groups.

Using meeting minutes software, such as Minute, can make this process easier and more efficient. With Minute, you can assign action items directly to attendees and track their progress, making it easier to follow up on tasks and ensure they are completed.

Don't Be Afraid to Ask for Explanations

If something is unclear during the meeting, don't be afraid to ask. It's better to ask for clarity in the moment than to have incorrect information in the meeting minutes.

Review and Distribute the Minutes

After the meeting, it's important to review the minutes for accuracy and completeness. Make any necessary edits and then distribute the minutes to all attendees and any other relevant parties.

Meeting Minutes Best Practices

In addition to the tips mentioned above, there are some best practices to keep in mind when it comes to the question of how to write meeting minutes.

Use a Consistent Format

Using a consistent format for your meeting minutes will make it easier for attendees to review and understand them. This can include using headings and bullet points to organize information and using a consistent layout for each meeting.

Include the Meeting Date and Time

Meeting minutes template

by Austin Distel (https://unsplash.com/@austindistel)

Be sure to include the date and time of the meeting at the top of your minutes. This will help differentiate between different meetings and make it easier to reference them in the future.

Keep Minutes Objective

Meeting minutes should be objective and stick to the facts. Avoid including personal opinions or commentary in the minutes.

Use Active Voice

When writing meeting minutes, use active voice to make them more engaging and easier to understand. For example, instead of writing "It was decided that...", write "We decided that...".

Proofread Before Distributing

Before distributing the meeting minutes, be sure to proofread them for any spelling or grammatical errors. This will ensure that the minutes are professional and easy to read.

Meeting Minutes Software

As mentioned earlier, using meeting minutes software can make the process of taking and managing minutes much easier. There are 2 kinds of meeting minutes software. If you just want to take down notes, you want tools such as Evernote, Trello, and Google Docs.

But there is much advanced software available now, which works with AI to automatically transcribe, summarize, analyze and keep your minutes of the meeting in a single repository. Bliro is the most accurate AI meeting assistant when it comes to transcription and summaries, and it is the only tool which doesn't require you to take consent or permissions from the meeting attendees.

When choosing a meeting minutes software, consider the features that are most important to your organization, such as task assignment and progress tracking, meeting minutes storage and sharing, and integration with other tools.

How to Type Meeting Minutes MoM

When typing moms meeting minutes, it's essential to follow a structured format to ensure clarity and organization.

  • Start by including the meeting date, time, and location at the top of the document. Then, list the names of attendees and absentees.
  • Use clear headings to separate different sections such as agenda items, discussions, decisions made, and action items. When documenting discussions, focus on key points and avoid unnecessary details.
  • Use bullet points or numbered lists to highlight important information and make the minutes easier to read.
  • Finally, proofread the document for accuracy before distributing it to attendees and relevant parties.

Conclusion

Taking effective meeting minutes is crucial for keeping everyone on the same page and ensuring that decisions and action items are properly documented. By following the tips and best practices outlined in this article, you can improve the quality and efficiency of your meeting minutes.

Remember to prepare before the meeting, be an active listener, use clear and concise language, and review and distribute the minutes after the meeting. And don't forget to consider using meeting minutes software to streamline the process and improve collaboration among attendees.

With these tips and tools, you can take effective meeting minutes that will benefit your organization and keep everyone informed and accountable.

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Shubham Aggarwal bliro.io
Shubham Aggarwal
Founder's Office, Bliro.io