What to Include and What to Leave Out of Board Meeting Minutes
It is essential to be objective when writing minutes of board meetings. This allows the minutes to serve as an official document that can prove that meetings were held and that decisions were made. Having opinions creep into the notes can make them appear biased and prompt suspicion from stakeholders, legal entities, or future board members. It is essential to know what information to https://boardroombox.com/the-real-time-value-of-the-leading-edge-secure-data-room-applications-software-suite-solutions/ include in the minutes, but it’s equally as important to know what to remove.
In general the minutes of board meetings should only reflect the actual facts and decisions made during the meeting. They should not contain opinions of a personal nature, such as how the chair of the meeting hammered her desk to highlight her point. It is also best to not identify individuals involved in the discussion in the event that an exact motion is being debated. For voting items the board should keep a record of who made and supported the motion, along with the number of people voting in favor, against, and abstained.
It is also important to note any new guests or attendees. This will help people keep track of the people who are in person and remotely. It’s also a good idea to state the beginning and ending times for the meeting, as well as an exact date and time for the next meeting. Board members have busy schedules So having a specific date and time for meetings ensures everyone is on the same page.