Minutes of the Board Meeting

Minutes of the board meeting are a critical aspect of good governance that ensure that every discussion is recorded and decision. The responsibilities of taking minutes at a board meeting usually fall to the board secretary or someone designated aboutboardroom.com for this task.

The person who takes minutes of meetings must be in a position to listen and capture the entire conversation even when directors are debating a topic or arguing. The minutes could be examined by a judge in a legal proceeding against the business, so they must be as clear and neutral as is possible to protect the organization from the risk of being held accountable.

Determine the date and time of the meeting. This information is needed to organize your minutes following the meeting. It also makes it easy for readers to locate information quickly. You should also note whether the meeting is a regular or special emergency or executive session.

The list of attendees for the meeting. This includes presiding officers as well as board members and non-voting attendees, such as guests, staff members and other attendees. Making sure you have a complete record of who was in attendance is important, especially in recording meetings held remotely.

Include an overview of each agenda item, along with brief summary sentences or two that includes the major topics of discussion and any major decisions taken. It is important not to include too many details. A lengthy, detailed document can be overwhelming to the readers and can make it difficult for readers to comprehend the direction of the company.