Re: Taking Minutes at Meetings

Subject: Re: Taking Minutes at Meetings
From: "Suzette Leeming" <suzettesl -at- hotmail -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Fri, 09 Mar 2001 08:14:36 -0500

Although I can see the benefit of taking minutes at meetings, as so many others have pointed out, I don't feel they justify what is given up by taking minutes. If you are the minute taker, you give up:
1) the ability to participate 100% in the meeting. It's really hard to debate a point fully, if you are worried about taking notes.
2) the perception that you are equal to the other participants in the meeting. Let's face it - minute taking is usually a revolving task that each member takes turns doing, or is delegated to a secretarial type person to do at each meeting. We are trying to break the stereotype of technical writers as glorified typists or secretaries. (Actually, that has never been my experience, but I've heard a lot about it. I have noticed though, that women usually get assigned to this task, but I wouldn't want to accuse corporate America of being sexist ;-)

Minutes for meetings are extremely important. If I were in your position, I would approach the manager and praise him/her for wanting minutes for every meeting - then I would suggest that either each member of the meetings take turns, or each department that participates in the meetings takes turns, etc. Other meeting jobs, such as coffee, setting up the agenda, booking the boardroom, facilitating the meeting, being time-keeper, etc. are also tasks that meeting members can take turns at performing. Each player on the field is then equal.

That's my 2 cents worth.

Suzette Leeming
Technical Writer
Markham, Ontario

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