How to Become a Better Manager in Social Work and Social Care by Trish Hafford-Letchfield Les Gallop

Author:Trish Hafford-Letchfield, Les Gallop [Trish Hafford-Letchfield, Les Gallop]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Social Science, Social Work
ISBN: 9781849052061
Google: 0WcSBQAAQBAJ
Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Published: 2012-01-15T04:28:51+00:00

NOTES OR MINUTE-TAKING

Notes or minutes can be very influential later on. This may be a legal or formal requirement and having someone take the minutes independently may be of great value to the person chairing so that they are free to concentrate on important issues that need attention. Meeting minutes have no value if they are not accurate. Names and terms, especially the organization’s own jargon, must be used carefully, particularly if you are involving service users. A good minute-taker will prepare ahead of the meeting and if you are chairing the meeting it is worth spending time to ensure that they have the opportunity to review related documents, such as minutes from previous meetings, or any other papers related to the topic. In care settings, because of the squeeze on administrative support, it may be necessary to engage a participant in the meeting in taking minutes. This is often left to spontaneity, and can affect the quality of the minutes provided, so again it is worth agreeing some key points about what should be noted or minuted and timescales for when and how they will be distributed (preferably whilst the meeting itself is still fresh in people’s minds). Sometimes it can take organizations days or even weeks to complete and circulate meeting minutes. A delay in circulating meeting minutes usually means a delay in taking action. Prompt meeting minutes are likely to be not only more accurate but more effective. A hallmark of good minutes is providing the right balance between in-depth coverage of complex topics and providing a concise summary of the key issues and decisions taken. Style should vary according to the purpose to which the minutes will be put. Depending on the purpose, the right choice for minutes can vary from a very concise summary to a word-for-word transcript of what was said and by whom. Designing a template might help, particularly if note-taking is done by a more informal arrangement. The depth of coverage should always be agreed in advance. A good meeting often brings together people who have interesting ideas and a lot to say, and sometimes this means that debates can get contentious, even heated. Neutral, objective minute or note-taking is all the more important in the face of controversy. You can always make your own aide memoire alongside formal minutes.

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