Minute Writing Skills Training Course

Minute Writing Skills Training Availability, Pricing and Course Dates

If you have any questions, please phone us (020 3856 3037) or send us a message.

Bespoke Training (In-House or Live Online)

£2,150+VAT per training day
(International Price Varies)

In-House training has been designed to provide a similar experience to our open courses, however we can tailor the content to fit your specific needs.

Plus, hotel accommodation for trainer if needed (Premier Inn type: not the Hilton!)

We are able to train in your timezone.

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All our training includes:

A full day of quality training, delivered by an experienced trainer
Total of 6 CPD training hours (9am - 4.30pm), plus an additional 2-3 via post-course online independent learning.
Full digital interactive course notes
Training certificate
Access to additional free training material after the course via our post-course portal
3 months free telephone coaching: Whilst you are implementing what you have learned, if you need to, you can contact us for support and guidance

What is Minute Writing Skills Training?

What are minutes? Minutes are the written records of the crux of a meeting. Minutes are not transcripts of everything that occurs. Minutes are more selective. The purpose of minutes is to capture the meaning of the meeting, its essence.

Minute writing is a difficult skill because it requires many subset skills: memory, listening, judgement, note taking and compositional writing skills.

Minute writing training is designed to teach delegates these essential skills and how to use them to write purposeful, brief, clear and accurate minutes.

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Contact Us Today

If you want to know more about this course, or any other Management Training Courses, or their suitability for you or a colleague, call us on 020 3856 3037 or make an enquiry online.

Customer Reviews

4.9/5 Our Minute Writing Skills Course is rated based on 523 reviews. More Customer Reviews >

Course content was excellent covering some really valuable topics in a good amount of detail with practical tools and methods that will be easy to implement without overloading us with too much information. Virtual presentation was excellent, th... [Read More] Mike Geary
City in the Community Foundation - Manchester City Football Club

This course was very relevant and informative and has given me the confidence for the future in knowing that I am following best practice guidelines to manage my team effectively. The trainer was informative and easy to understand. A very enjoya... [Read More] Chris Waring
Pinnacle Communications Ltd

Minute Writing Skills Training Course Overview

We start the training with a proper definition of minutes. We contrast minutes to transcripts. Minutes are not transcripts.

Then we explore the skills associated to the ideal minute writer. The minute writer needs many skills: memory, listening, judgement, communication skills, note taking and compositional writing skills.

Then we examine each of the skills and teach you the methods to improve each one.

The combined effect of improving every subset skill associated to minute writing is an immediate giant leap in minute writing ability.

Learning Outcomes:

Gain the benefits of taking excellent written minutes
Avoid the perils of failing to take good minutes accurately
Improve your listening, memory and note-taking skills
In the meeting, use content-mapping to make your initial notes
Avoid being overwhelmed by the sheer pace of the conversation
Handle challenging delegates: help them to help you take good notes
From the initial notes, produce the perfect finished minutes

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In-House Training

Minute Writing Skills Training Course Details

Click a topic to read more about it.

Morning Session

Why it is important to take good minutes?

The meeting happened at a place and time. After the meeting, the minutes contain the meaning of the meeting.

It is the minutes that represent the meeting.

The minute writer has the responsibility to record the meaning of the meeting accurately.

Note the significant difference between minutes and a transcription

A transcription is a complete record, and it is not refined
Minutes are not a complete record, but they are refined

It is making good initial notes, during the meeting, that is the most difficult.

To do that, you need to develop your listening skills.

Two listening methods: Pan sifter v sponge

The pan-sifter is a selective listener. This is the right way.

The sponge: is not selective and tries to record everything. This is the wrong way.

Two Listening Skills

1. Develop the ability to discern the others important point.

How to pick out the important from the trivial.
How to pick out the relevant from the irrelevant.

2. Distinguishing between:

Conclusions – What they think. Record this.
Reasons – Why they think it. Record this too.
Rubbish - Everything that has no relevance or is trivial. Don’t record this

Four minute taking methods

Content mapping
Structured notes
Table plan
Verbatim notes

How to take the notes in the meeting

Guide to effective note-taking.
Exercise in note-taking.

Afternoon Session

A practical exercise designed to put to the test the skills covered so far

A practical exercise designed to put to the test the skills covered so far on the course.

Managing the delegates

Use the question "How would you like me to minute that?"

Have a “Pre-meeting meeting” with the chairperson

The meeting delegates can help you or hinder you.

Train the chairperson to be your ally.

The importance of the agenda

The environment: Set the room up to your advantage.

Name placements
Air
Light
Water
Freedom from distractions

Preparation is essential:

Get there early
Get your things organised and in good order
Get your mind into the right mood

Writing the finished minutes

Use the ABC principle: Accurate, Brief and Clear

Some basics of grammar

A sentence is a statement that communicates a complete thought.

All sentences need at least a subject and a verb.

Use specific subject nouns
Use specific verbs
Avoid ambiguity
Decide: active or passive
Practice exercises

Three ways to write the final notes

Transcript: verbatim
Main points
Action summary

Last big training exercise.

Learning notes from the practice.

Summary and action plan

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In-House Training

Minute Writing Skills Training FAQs

Click a topic to read more about it.

How do I join a Corporate Coach Group course?

In order to attend this course, the very first thing is simply to decide to!

The second step is to select the date, and the venue that are most convenient.

The final step is to click this link and reserve your place, or if you prefer, phone us, on 01452 856091.

Is this course offered in-house?

Yes. If you want to present this course to your colleagues in-house, then we are happy to come to you.

We will set-up in your training room and run the programme with version of the course that can be tailored to your specific needs and context. Click here for details.

How to take good minutes?

Listen out for, and record only the key concepts; the key decisions, and the major reasons given for them. In addition, make a note of the action plans and who is responsible for their implementation.

How to take notes in meetings?

The single most important thing to know about taking notes in meetings is to not try to take full transcript notes. Instead, take only the essence of the meeting. That means being highly selective. Don’t try to be a stenographer. Instead try to be like a pan sifter looking for gold in muddy water. The muddy water is the meeting, the gold is the value hidden in it. Your aim as a minute writer, is to discard most of what was said, but retain the valuable golden nuggets of meaning.

What is the course training method? Is it interactive?

Yes, the training is highly interactive. To keep everyone feeling involved, we vary the training style.

Sometimes you are working independently, (for example, when are thinking about your own performance), then later you are working with your next-door neighbour.

Then later, we work together in groups.

There is always a lot of interaction.

There is never any “Death by PowerPoint”. So, you won’t feel bored, you will feel motivated. From beginning to end, you will be fully engaged and involved.

We are often told by delegates that the course seemed to fly by, which is always a great sign!

You will find the course is well designed, easy to understand and apply in practice.

We have made sure that the training is relevant to real life, beneficial and crammed with useful knowledge. You can be assured that you will find this course, interesting, well structured, practical and fun.

Why are minutes of meetings called minutes?

The name minutes originates from the Latin word minuta, meaning very small.
That indicates that minutes are not full transcripts. They are brief, small, little, minute.

What kinds of people attend this Minute Writing Skills course?

People who attend this course come from organisations that are experiencing a lot of change.

The other delegates who come to this training, all need to know how to get the best performance from themselves and others.

Although the delegates who attend the course are all different, they all share a common goal, to learn and apply new skills.

Companies We've Trained

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Minute Writing Skills Training Course - 1 Day

Minute Writing Skills Training Availability, Pricing and Course Dates

Bespoke Training (In-House or Live Online)

All our training includes:

What is Minute Writing Skills Training?

Contact Us Today

Customer Reviews

Minute Writing Skills Training Course Overview

Learning Outcomes:

Minute Writing Skills Training Course Details

Morning Session

Why it is important to take good minutes?

Note the significant difference between minutes and a transcription

Two listening methods: Pan sifter v sponge

Two Listening Skills

1. Develop the ability to discern the others important point.

2. Distinguishing between:

Four minute taking methods

How to take the notes in the meeting

Afternoon Session

A practical exercise designed to put to the test the skills covered so far

Managing the delegates

Have a “Pre-meeting meeting” with the chairperson

The importance of the agenda

Writing the finished minutes

Some basics of grammar

Three ways to write the final notes

Summary and action plan

Minute Writing Skills Training FAQs

How do I join a Corporate Coach Group course?

Is this course offered in-house?

How to take good minutes?

How to take notes in meetings?

What is the course training method? Is it interactive?

Why are minutes of meetings called minutes?

What kinds of people attend this Minute Writing Skills course?

Companies We've Trained

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How to Stop Worrying

Active Vs Passive Mind