Board meetings are the place where crucial decisions are taken. It’s not unusual that a company decides its entire management structure through voting at the board meeting. The quality of your meeting minutes is essential and it’s essential to ensure that they are taken as efficiently and accurately possible.
An outline or template which is based on the agenda before time helps the minute-taker to keep up with the conversation and to record relevant details. It is also useful to keep a list of participants, to ensure that everyone can be checked as they arrive. This will help save time and make it simpler to prepare the board minutes at the conclusion of the meeting.
Be careful not to get too personal. Minutes should be unbiased and it’s best to not include personal arguments, critiques or disagreements, political opinions and idle chat out of them. Don’t discuss the personal lives of the members or any other personal stories which aren’t relevant to the business.
It is essential to record every vote, including who made the motion, who voted for it, the exact form of the motion and if the motion was approved. It is also an excellent idea to list the number both yeas or nays, as well in the event of any abstentions or votes against. This will be useful in the event of any legal challenges in the future.