How to Take Meeting Notes Effectively

In a one-on-1 meeting with a customer, or a conference call that involves several participants, effective note-taking skills are vital for keeping an eye on all the information being discussed. It isn’t easy to keep track of details or keep track of the conversation if you’re incapable of taking notes effectively. The suggestions in this article can aid you in improving your note-taking skills, so you’re able to take more effective, organized meetings in the future.

Select a method of note-taking that is most suitable for you. There are many methods to consider, such as the Cornell method, which divides your notes into two columns, one on the left and the one on the right. The idea is that the smaller column is a good way to highlight the most important ideas of the meeting and the larger column drills down into the finer details of each. Then, you can create a summary at end of the sheet to connect the various ideas.

Keep it simple. You can easily get caught up in the minutiae when making notes. However, it is important to focus on what is most important to ensure that your notes are useful to those who will read them later. Use shorthand or symbols instead of reciting verbatim. This makes it easier to recognize your notes when you go back and examine them.

The ideal scenario is that your team discuss the agenda for the meeting prior to the date so that you can prepare an outline prior to the meeting. This will save you from having to take notes of important what are board meeting minutes points during the meeting itself and can help you stay on the right track throughout the discussion.