The minutes of the board meetings are the official record of a board’s decisions and actions. They’re crucial for a number of reasons that include the legal implications, governance policies and even accountability. They should be precise, clear, and easy to read.
Keep your minutes as concise and concise as you can to avoid wasting time with lengthy elaborations and keep the focus on key decisions, discussions, and actions. This can be especially helpful for boards with a limited budget and deadlines that are tight.
The format or structure of your minutes can vary in accordance with your organization’s requirements as well as the culture and style of your organization However, a few http://www.aboutboardroom.com/virtual-board-meetings-minutes-and-voting/ standard elements are crucial to consider when taking minutes. These key points include:
Date and time of the meeting: Writing down clearly when the board meeting took place can make it easier for future readers to comprehend what transpired. It’s also an excellent idea to record the kind of meeting (whether regular, special, or annual).
Content: Go through the information in the minutes to make sure it accurately represents what transpired during the meeting. Check for errors or omissions and make sure to cross-reference with other documents to make sure that the information is accurate and correct. Verify that all agreed upon actions and tasks for follow-up are documented in the minute. This includes any follow-up or action items that may have been discussed during executive sessions (private or in-camera portions of the meeting to discuss sensitive topics like alleged misconduct, personnel issues or financial concerns with the auditor). These conversations should be captured in the closed session’s minute book and not included in the main body of minutes of the board meeting.
