The minutes of the board meetings are the official record of a board’s actions and decisions. Therefore, they’re important for a variety of reasons such as the legal implications, governance guidelines and even accountability. They should be simple to read, accurate and clear.

Making your minutes as concise and concise as you can will aid in keeping your attention on the most important discussions, decisions, and actions while also refraining from lengthy jargon. This is particularly useful for boards that have only a limited amount of resources and strict deadlines.

The structure or format of your minute books can differ depending on the needs of your company or culture, as well as your style, but a few common elements should be taken into account when taking notes. These key points include:

Time and date of the meeting: Writing down clearly the time of the meeting will help future readers to comprehend the events that took place. It’s also important to note the type of meeting (whether regular or special).

Content: Review the information in the minutes to make sure it accurately reflects what took place during the meeting. Examine for any errors or omissions and make sure you cross-reference with other documents to make sure the information is complete and accurate. Check that all agreed upon actions and tasks to follow-up are documented in the minutes. This includes any actions or follow-ups that were discussed in executive sessions (private or behind closed doors sections of the meeting where sensitive topics like allegations of misconduct, personnel issues, or financial issues with the auditor https://www.aboutboardroom.com/boardmaps-vs-boardeffect-board-porta are discussed). These conversations should be documented in the closed session minutes and not included in the main body of the minutes of board meetings.