When I am out taking minutes in Edinburgh or around the country I often meet people who are scared of taking minutes and I think this fear is one of the things that really holds them back. So I thought today I would like to examine these fears and see how we can overcome them.
So here are some of things that scare the minute taker in Scotland and how to overcome them:
1. I may not understand what they are talking about - a common fear, it doesn't matter of you don't fully understand what is being said, just take down extensive notes and it will become clearer later. You may not need to understand everything anyway, it might be sufficient just to record the decisions. Also the participants can help you understand the items after the meeting. Finally, you will understand more and more as you become more experienced.
2. How will I be able to type everything fast enough - the answer is, you don't need to, you can note the pertinent points and listen for key decisions. People also repeat themselves at meetings.
3. I will forget all the names - don't worry, take all the names down before the meeting. You can also do a brief map with the names in the order of the participants. Also, most meetings don't require you to quote the name of the speaker in the minutes. You will have to make sure you have all
4. What if my writing isn't good enough - practice is the only way to overcome this, you can also read newspapers, books and documents in your spare time to help overcome this problem. Finally, you can cut and paste and quote from reports for part of your minute.
5. What if I forget everything - the only way round this is to make sure your written notes, or laptop if this is the case, are clear. The other main way to overcome this, is to complete the minute as soon as possible. You have a better chance of doing a decent minute, if you complete it within 2 or 3 days, than one that you start 2 weeks after the meeting.
So, hope that helps, happy minute taking.
www.minutetakerscotland.com
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