Your meeting is over and you're ready to put your notes together. Learn how to write meeting minutes and follow up with your team.
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Have you ever taken meeting minutes before?
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What kind of details are included in meeting minutes?
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Are there apps you use to take meeting minutes?
Which of the following should be included in meeting minutes? Why or why not?
- "There was general agreement that the product launch should be delayed by two weeks."
- "Claire totally disagreed and looked frustrated when we brought up the budget."
- "The team discussed expanding to two new markets based on survey results."
- "Honestly, this project is a mess—we really need to fix it fast."
- "The final decision was to launch two flavored SKUs and one lactose-free option."
- "Rob will probably talk to the supplier next week, if he has time."
Look at the following phrases for each minute-taking function. Note that many of these are written in passive language, rather than active voice!
| Function | Phrases |
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| To summarize discussion |
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| To conclude |
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| To note actions |
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| Follow-Up Email Phrases |
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Look at the following meeting notes and present the meeting minutes using the phrases above.
Date: May 1, 2025
Time: 10:00–10:45 AM
Facilitator: Alex (Chairperson)
Note-taker: Jamie
1. Welcome & Objectives (5 min)
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Quick introductions
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Purpose of the meeting: Align on next quarter’s strategy
2. Project Updates (10 min)
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Marketing campaign progress (Sara): Enough staff, but has been difficult to gain traction. Client stakeholders would like to see the campaign and an update soon.
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Development timeline (Liam): Learning team is struggling with a slower client review process, lack of reviewers may require new timelines for development.
3. Budget Review (10 min)
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Current budget status: Going to be in the red by end of September, but clients are dragging their feet on adoption of strategies.
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Proposed changes for Q3: Re-review the plan and resources used. Possible cuts to save on budget.
4. Client Feedback (10 min)
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Summary of recent client feedback: Clients are satisfied, but have noted that the solution provided does not cover their full needs.
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Action items to improve satisfaction: Meet with client stakeholders to set boundaries (we only have resources until September), but hear out their needs. Jason to connect with them on May 30th.
5. Next Steps & Responsibilities (5 min)
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Assign tasks: Sara to contact client for approval, Liam to re-plan the dev. timeline and create a new proposal before Jason's meeting.
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Confirm deadlines: All tasks due before next meeting date
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Set next meeting date: May 14, 2025
6. Wrap-Up & Questions (5 min)
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Final comments
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Questions or concerns
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Appreciation and close
Look at the following occurrences during the meeting and write out a follow-up email with the meeting summary attached.
- The first 15 minutes were spent discussing how to expand milk product lines and what products to create.
- The Marketing team presented feedback from test markets.
- A decision was made to move forward with two new product SKUs.
- The Operations team decided to begin packaging redesign in May.
- Lisa from Marketing said she would finalize product concepts by April 12.
- John from Operations said he would touch base with the production team next week.
You now know the value of a quality set of concise minutes. Yes, there can be a legal and compliance aspect, but good minutes should also motivate and inspire further action and productivity.
They encourage accountability and shared responsibility. What are you going to introduce or try after your next meeting?