10 tips for effective note taking
Effective note taking is an art form, one we’ve sadly lost as back to back meetings have become commonplace.
Most of us are in so many meetings every week, often back to back that it can be hard to recall what was said and who said they’d do what. Recording meeting notes effectively is crucial for capturing key information, decision making and actioning items. Here are some best practices for recording meeting notes:
Actively listen.
Actively listen to the discussion during the meeting to capture important points accurately. Focus on understanding the context, main ideas, decisions, and action items.
Decide what note taking format works best for you. You might find it useful to organise your notes using a structured format that include sections for the meeting agenda, discussion points, decisions made, questions to ask, action items, action items for others, and follow-up tasks. This helps maintain clarity and coherence in your notes.
Record key points. Decisions, and action items succinctly. Use bullet points or numbered lists to make your notes easy to read and reference later.
Things to avoid. Maintain objectivity in your notes by accurately reflecting what was discussed and decided during the meeting. Avoid injecting personal opinions or biases into your notes.
Save yourself time. If any points are unclear or ambiguous during the meeting, ask for clarification. It's essential to ensure that your notes accurately reflect the intended meaning.
Use technology, it’s there to help. Consider using digital tools and AI to take notes for you. Have you tried Meeting recap in Teams which provides seamless integration with Microsoft 365, ensuring easy access and collaboration on shared documents. Otter.ai excels with its advanced transcription capabilities, turning spoken words into accurate and searchable text. Zoom's AI-powered meeting notes enhances post-meeting productivity by summarising key discussions and action items.
Ensure items are actioned. Make sure you clearly document action items, including who is responsible for each task and the deadline for completion. Use consistent formatting, such as highlighting or bolding, to make action items stand out in your notes.
Record what was said. Many virtual meetings are recorded but it can be time consuming to watch it back. Instead, summarise key discussion points and decisions throughout the meeting to ensure alignment and understanding among participants. These summaries can serve as checkpoints and help maintain focus.
Decide how absentees best catch up. Review your meeting notes promptly after the meeting to ensure accuracy and completeness. Distribute the notes to all participants and stakeholders in a timely manner, preferably within 24 hours of the meeting.
Ask what happens next? Follow up on action items and track progress to ensure accountability and completion. Refer to your meeting notes as needed to stay on track and monitor next steps.
By following these best practices, you can effectively record meeting notes that serve as valuable references for participants and stakeholders, facilitate follow-up actions, and contribute to the overall success of meetings.
Author: John Tattersall, Scaffold Coaching