[tab name=’Guidelines’]
Guidelines : Recording of Minutes
Recording Minutes at Meetings
Guidelines
- Briefly state the major topics of discussion or meeting conclusions up front. However, delay mentioning specific assignments until after you have recorded the essence of each topic discussion.
- Use headings to help multiple readers focus on agenda items of individual interest. On occasion, you may want to use your discussion questions as headings and then record your conclusions and decisions in list form.
- Remember space given to recording a topic discussion suggests its importance; don’t get carried away with minutiae. Avoid the once-upon-a-time detail that always surrounds each discussion topic and focus on the major problems identified or solved, the major questions raised or answered, and the results and/or related follow-up action.
- Arrange topics in most-to-least significant format rather than in order of discussion.
- Include specific follow-up assignments–who should do what by when.
- Include names of attendees last.
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[tab name=’Example 1′]
Example 1: Meeting minutes examples
Memorandum
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT: Minutes of the December 8 Safety Meeting
The third safety meeting, held December 8, 19–, focused on establishing a new Accident Investigation Committee, company-wide publicity efforts, and verbal accident reporting:
Establishment of Accident Investigation Committees
By January 15, management will appoint 12 employees from each site as an “accident investigation pool.” When an accident occurs, the district manager will notify three people from this pool to investigate and report as follows:
• They will contact any injured employees, any witnesses of the accident, and the supervisor at the job site to gather information on causes, responsibility, and prevention.
• They will make a written report of their findings to the district manager (a copy to the safety coordinator) within three working days after the accident.
• The district manager will forward his report and any recommendations for disciplinary action to the appropriate senior vice president within 10 working days.
Publicity Focus and Visuals
We agreed the primary focus of all publicity should be to make supervisors realize they are responsible for the safety of all employees under their supervision.
• Bulletin board posters showing the number of accident-free days have been displayed in all divisions.
• Floyd Mayhen suggested and will take responsibility to see that large safety banners be posted in all field offices.
New Requirements for Verbal Reporting of Accidents
Any employee involved in an accident, along with his supervisor, will be required to meet with the safety division at its next scheduled session to present the circumstances of the accident, report on lost time, and recommend preventive measures.
Miscellaneous
1. We agreed to change the safety-meeting format on occasion to allow for field-related topic presentations by members of the group.
2. We discussed the possibility of filming “staged” accidents as the basis for future safety programs. No conclusion was reached.
Follow-up Assignments
1. Floyd Mayhen will investigate costs and design of safety banners and bring a recommendation for the next meeting.
2. Dusty Miller will notify appropriate managers about their appointing a 12-member “accident investigation pool” at each site.
3. Bonnie Tipps will draft the discussed procedures for distribution to the “accident investigation pools.”
Those attending the meeting were Abe Force, Julia Benhan, Floyd Mayhen, Dusty Miller, Bonnie Tipps, Henry Armory, and Kate Hendrix.
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[tab name=’Example 2′]
Example 2: Format for writing minutes
Memorandum
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT: Minutes of July 2 Book Selection Committee
The Selection Committee met on July 2, 19– to decide what categories should be expanded upon, or added to, our catalog offerings. After a discussion of an in-house study on buying trends and a membership survey, it was decided to explore the following three genres for possible inclusion or expansion.
Categories
Nature Writing—non-fiction
This category includes several cross categories, such as environmental writers, scientific writers, horticulturists, and hunters, just to name a few. The common bond in these writings is the philosophical tone such writers take, rather than be simply focused on an environmental issue, scientific problem, etc. The following authors were suggested for review:
• Barry Lopez
• Rick Bass
• Kent Nerburn
• John McPhee
• Gretel Erlich
• Annie Dillard
• Edward Abbey
Women’s Issues— fiction and non-fiction
As the majority of our membership is women it was suggested that we expand our offerings of women’s studies. This includes both fiction and non-fiction, but excludes straight romances and mysteries. Authors suggested for review include:
• Kathleen Norris
• Maya Angelou
• Jamaica Kincaid
• Bailey White
• Sue Hubbell
• Louise Elderitch
Poetry-—contermporary
While we regularly offer poetry selections, they tend to be centered around figures such as Sylvia Plath, Robert Frost, etc. We would like to include contemporary poets. Poets to be reviewed include:
• Adrienne Rich
• Joy Harjo
• James Tate
• Rita Dove
• John Barryman
• David Jauss
Sub-committees to Review Books
The selection committee appointed three sub-committees to review books by each of the authors. Ann Smithson, Taylor Blake, and Jim Freeport will be working with the Nature Writing genre; Kim Culper, Terry Watts, and Deimtra Fox will cover Women’s Studies; and Don Carrington, Scott Felder, and Shonita Mills will work with Poetry. Each sub-committee will be ready to present their reviews to the entire selection committee at next month’s meeting.
All twenty members of the selection committee were present at the meeting.
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[tab name=’Example 3′]
Example 3: Meeting minutes template
Memorandum
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT: Minutes of the October 8 Inventory Loss Committee Meeting
The Inventory Loss Committee met on October 8 to discuss extra security measures for the upcoming holiday season. The committee’s goal is to cut the incidents of shoplifting by 20 percent, based on last year’s estimated shoplifting losses. The committee focused on extra plain-clothes security people, new merchandise tagging systems, and an increase in employees monitoring all entrances and exits.
Plain Clothes Security People
The committee has decided to petition for the hiring of additional plain-clothes security people. While the addition to the payroll may be substantial, there are definite benefits.
• Regular employees will be freed up to meet the increased customer service demands.
• Plain-clothes security will be masquerading as shoppers, so they won’t have to worry about customer service questions, but can concentrate their efforts on monitoring other shoppers.
• Such security personnel would be professionally trained in the apprehension of shoplifters, unlike our regular staff. They are also trained in handling the situation once a possible shoplifter has been confronted.
New Merchandise Tagging System
The committee is researching the possibility of converting all tags in the store to electronic ones that can only be removed by the check-out clerks. However, it is doubtful that this method would be able to be used on our entire inventory. The committee is researching the costs and benefits of implementing an electronic-tagged merchandise system.
Increase in Employees Monitoring Entrances and Exits
This increase, the committee felt, would be most beneficial when people are attempting to shoplift large items that clerks would not normally bag. As customers leave the store, they would be asked if they required assistance in getting their merchandise to their vehicle. To receive assistance, they must first produce their sales receipt, which allows the employee to ascertain whether or not the merchandise was actually purchased. Employees at exits can also watch for people who pass through check-out lanes with no cashiers at them.
Deadlines
The committee has until October 20, 19– to compile their findings and present them to management. To do this, the committee has split into three sub-committees, each with four people, to study the methods of shoplifting control.
Sub-committees
Following are the assignments for the sub-committees:
Plain Clothes Security People
Didshe Youngly
Felicia Parks
Anita Webb
Mei Mei Lee
New Merchandise Tagging System
Ascencion Riveria
Jordan Kreller
Kyle Bates
Phillip Phelps
Increase in Employees Monitoring Entrances and Exits
Mary Ann Spivey
Eric Nichols
Francesca Wilson
Makenna Ashton
All twelve members of the Inventory Loss Committee were present at the meeting.
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