Module 2a — Office
Correspondence
and Records
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Minute-taking phobia
People are often reluctant to take minutes because they do not understand the purpose of the task or what to include in the record. Many think that it is necessary to capture everything that is said and that the most useful skill needed is shorthand. Meeting records should never be verbatim (word-for-word) reports. (There are some exceptions for highly formal meetings.) They are about recording what happened at a meeting, not what was said at the meeting. Listening, analysing and summarizing skills are required rather than speedy writing. It is also useful to keep in mind the two basic functions of meetings:
- to present information
- to solve problems
These functions should dictate what appears in the meeting record.
What are minutes?
At the ILO, meetings and discussions are everyday occurrences. Not all meetings require or need minutes to be taken. For most meetings, however, it is important that an accurate record of the events and decisions be recorded.
The length and complexity of minutes or meeting reports depends on the meeting and its importance. They can range from less than a page to up to 30 to 50 page documents for long, complex and important meetings.