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Chairing a Meeting with Confidence & Keeping Good Minutes (1 day)
In one day, your staff learn to run a focused meeting and produce accurate, action-focused minutes the organisation can rely on.
When meetings drift off the agenda and minutes are vague, the cost shows up later: actions are forgotten, decisions are disputed and the same item comes back month after month. This one-day minute taking training joins the two skills that fix the problem – chairing a meeting so that it reaches clear decisions, and recording those decisions so that people act on them.
The day follows the life of a meeting. Delegates plan the agenda and papers, learn how a chairperson opens the meeting, keeps it on time and deals with interruptions, then spend the afternoon on the minutes themselves: listening for decisions rather than transcribing, recording actions with owners and dates, writing in neutral language and circulating the minutes quickly.
It is a compact, practical day with no prerequisites. Delegates take minutes of a short practice meeting, compare their versions and leave with an agenda template, a minutes template and an action register they can use at their next meeting.
Watch a free video lesson
Why this course
For your organisation
- Minutes that record decisions, owners and deadlines clearly
- Fewer disputes about what was agreed
- Meetings that keep to time and to the agenda
- A consistent minutes format across departments
For your delegates
- A simple routine for before, during and after the meeting
- Confidence to chair a meeting or support the chairperson
- Ready-to-use agenda, minutes and action register templates
- Practice taking real minutes, with feedback
What delegates will be able to do
- Prepare an agenda and meeting papers that support the meeting's purpose
- Explain the roles of the chairperson, minute taker and attendees
- Open a meeting and keep it on track and on time
- Deal with interruptions, tangents and devices without losing the thread
- Take minutes that capture decisions, actions, owners and due dates
- Write minutes in neutral, factual language using a consistent template
- Circulate the minutes promptly and track actions to the next meeting
Who should attend
Executive assistants, secretaries, administrators and committee co-ordinators who prepare agendas and take minutes, and the managers, team leaders and presenters who chair or attend regular meetings. Ideal for a mixed group that wants one shared way of running and recording meetings.
Course outline
Day 1 – From agenda to action list
Meetings and the people in them
- Why many meetings fail to produce decisions
- The chairperson, the minute taker and the attendees – who does what
- Formal and informal meetings, in person and online
- Why minutes matter as the organisation's record
Planning the meeting
- Inviting the right people and choosing the time and place
- An agenda built around outcomes, with time allocated to each item
- Gathering and checking the papers
- Sending the notice, agenda and papers in good time
- Room set-up, equipment and online meeting links
Chairing with confidence
- Opening the meeting and setting expectations
- Using the agenda to keep the discussion focused
- Parking off-topic issues for later
- Managing time when items run over
- Holding attendees to their commitments
Handling interruptions
- Late arrivals and people coming and going
- Phones, laptops and multitasking
- Tangents and repeated arguments
- Personality clashes in the room
Taking good minutes
- Listening for decisions, not writing down every word
- What to record and what to leave out
- Decisions, actions, owners and due dates
- Neutral, factual wording
- A practical minutes template and action register
- Practical: minuting a short mock meeting and comparing versions
After the meeting
- Checking the draft with the chairperson
- Circulating minutes within 24 to 48 hours
- Following up actions before the next meeting
- Personal action plan
How it is delivered
One day, 08:30-16:00. In person at your offices anywhere in South Africa, at a BOTI venue, or live online. One delegate or a group of up to 20. Workbook, agenda and minutes templates and an action register included. We deliver it at your offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town and anywhere else in South Africa, at a BOTI venue in Johannesburg, or live online for teams in different places.
What our clients say
“The training was well executed and of a high quality … We would like to recommend BOTI for future trainings.”
“They were very professional, and they never failed us at any point during the process. They have met our expectations with both trainings.”
“BOTi has consistently and expertly delivered quality training services in respect of our Soft Skills requirements. We feel confident in recommending BOTI as a training services provider par excellence.”
Frequently asked questions
Can you run this course at our offices?
Yes. Most groups are trained at the client's premises anywhere in South Africa; we can also host it at a BOTI venue or deliver it live online.
How many people can attend?
From one delegate to groups of about 20. The practice meeting works best with at least four delegates.
Is it accredited?
No – it is a non-accredited short course and delegates receive a BOTI certificate of attendance.
Can you use our own minutes template?
Yes. Send us your current agenda and minutes format and the facilitator works with it, or helps you improve it, during the day.
Is there a longer version?
Yes. The two-day course gives a full day to preparing and chairing meetings, more time on handling disagreement, and a complete minute-taking practice round with feedback.
Can you run this course in Johannesburg, Cape Town or Durban?
Yes. We train on site at your offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town and across South Africa, at a BOTI venue in Johannesburg, or live online so a team spread over several offices can attend together.
Related courses
Ask a consultant for a written quote
A BOTI consultant emails you a written quote, usually within 15 minutes (Mon–Fri, 08:00–17:00). After hours, we reply on the next working day. To speak to someone now, call 011 882 8853.
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