Minute Taking Training
Taking minutes in meetings is an adept task since the minute taker must follow lengthy discussions and often quite articulate and outline, then accurately record them. Why would run such a moment taking training be a fantastic idea? Meetings are most efficient and successful when they also have well documented minutes:
The first benefit comes from the fact that there are rarely ever minutes left to review. The meeting is happening. Minutes are being run down. The minutes are a record of what happened during the meeting. To be able to make certain that nothing is overlooked, it's advisable to have your own unique minute taking skills.
There are many ways you can increase your moment taking skills. One way is through the incorporation of an active listening approach into your meetings. Active listening is about genuinely paying attention to what someone is saying and responding to their needs. When people are actively engaged with something, their minds comprise about what is being said, versus what their mind is attempting to keep tabs on.
Another way is through facilitated group review. A facilitated group review involves a summary of the points which were being discussed in a meeting, followed by questions and answers to any remaining questions. This kind of summary is significantly better than just listening to what someone is saying, because then you're not paying attention to their needs, meaning you might miss important points that need to be addressed. Minute taking training must include a facilitated group review, to make certain that all of the problems that came up during the meeting are fully addressed.
Thirdly, you need to have some kind of system for checking on the progress that you make throughout the day. You want some form of notebook or notepad where you can keep track of your progress, in addition to a journal or diary where you can write down things that you notice specifically throughout your daily meetings. By keeping good records, you'll be able to look back in your own meetings and see where you may have fallen short of fulfilling the needs of the other individual. This kind of minute-taking training class materials will also make it easier for you to check on your progress from time to time throughout the day, so you don't get too discouraged.
Fourthly, it is helpful to use prepared key points, handouts, or bulletins for presentations that you give at different times during the day. It will help to maintain the focus on the key points that you wish to get across to your audience. If there are a whole lot of people in attendance, this is especially helpful. Some people like to use handouts, while others like to listen to a demonstration live. Using preprinted important sheets or points that the attendees have already printed out at the start of their meeting can help to keep the session from being too cluttered. If you have the luxury of having a projector or television, you might also wish to show these key points and handouts to those attending the meetings that can not attend in person.
Fifthly, make certain that you take minutes either on audio or video. Even if you aren't providing a visual, folks need to have the ability to follow your voice if you are giving a speech. Additionally, by using audio or video tools, you can display slide shows of graphs or charts, which may further motivate your audience. Taking minutes, though, can at times be difficult, as the mind tends to wander, particularly during presentation training where many attendees are found.
These five tips are only a couple of the numerous ways that could make your in-house or external organization far more successful. Bear in mind, however, that the most important component of conducting successful meetings is getting everyone on the same page. If one person wants to skip a meeting, do not tell him or her. Everyone has different things that they want to accomplish, so encourage everyone to take part in group decision-making. This will help to ensure that everyone has a positive experience at the end of the day.
