1

Business
Communication
 Preparing Minutes of Meetings 2

A meeting has been called….

Statutory ….. Because the law … Shareholders’, creditors’,
demands it director’, councillors’
meetings
Manageria …. To discuss To inform of policy, to brief,
l progress of company to delegate tasks, to discuss
affairs problems, to reach group
decisions, etc.
Creative …. To generate To ‘brainstorm’ around the
ideas, to open up idea of what the firm could
new possibilities or design, manufacture; to
avenues of action produce an advertising
slogan, poster, etc.
 Preparing Minutes of Meetings 3

A meeting has been called….

Negotiating …. To reach a Management and trade

solution to a problem union to agree pay
acceptable to two increases
sides with different
interest
General/ …. To report back to a Annual General Meeting
public group membership, or of shareholders or club
to air matters of public membership meeting;
interest public enquiries into
planning proposals
 Members of Meetings & their role
• The Chairman
• The Secretary
• The Treasurer
• The Committee Members
 Members of Meetings & their role role 5

Committee Members’ Roles

• The Chairman’s Role: to coordinate the work of the
committee.. Leader, guide, umpire.
• The Secretary’s Role: to carry out the administrative
work of the committee.
• The Treasurer’s Role: to monitor the committee
financial activities.
• The Committee Member’s Role: To participate at
meetings and do work delegated to him or her.
 Preparing Minutes of Meetings 6

Special terms for meetings:

• Ad hoc for the particular purpose.
• Advisory submitting suggestions or advice to a person or
body entitled to carry out decisions and actions.
• Agenda a ‘timetable’ listing items for discussion at a
meeting.
• AGM Annual General Meeting.
• Apologies for absence written or orally delivered excuse for
not being able to attend a meeting.
• Chairman coordinator of a committee, working party, etc.
• Chairman's agenda like to ordinary agenda but containing
additional information for guidance.
 Types of Meetings
• Informal Meeting
• Formal Meeting
 Minutes of Informal Meetings 8

1. The date, time, and place of the meeting.

2. The name of the presiding officer.
3. A list of those present (and frequently those absent).
4. The time of adjournment.
5. Discussions are usually summarized.
Usually the minutes are signed by the person who took them
and sometimes by the presiding officer as well.

Minutes are usually duplicated, and copies are sent to each

person present at the meeting.
 Minutes of Informal Meetings 9

Presiding: Naeem Ahmad, President

Present: Ahmad Ali Muhammad Aleem
Sara Zaman Yousif Habib
Absent: Munir Ahmad Muhammad Asif
Tariq Nazir
After calling the meeting to order at 3:15 pm. The
president asked the treasurer for a brief report....
The president asked Sara Zaman, chairperson of the
investment committee, for the committee
recommendation….
The president asked Mr. Ali, the club’s broker, to
comment….
 Minutes of Informal Meetings 10

Mr Habib announced that the club’s annual picnic is

schedule for Saturday, Sept 14, at Al-Hamra Hall in
Lahore……

The meeting was adjourned at 5:30 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Hassan
Secretary
 Minutes of Formal Meetings 11

Minutes of meetings that follow parliamentary procedure

are somewhat different in form from the informal minutes
illustrated here. Formal minutes do not include
discussions. Only motions, resolutions, committee
assignments and reports, and other specific
accomplishments are included. Topical headings are used
for easy reference and how the recorder has briefly
summarized a speaker’s remarks.
 Minutes of Formal Meetings 12
Time & Place: The regular monthly meeting of the Historical-
Commercial Club of Lahore was called to order by the
president, Naeem Ahmad, on Friday, February 8, 2006, at 2
pm in the Jinnah room.
Minutes The minutes of the last meeting
were read and approved.
Treasurer’s report The following report was given
by Fatima Hanif, the treasurer:
Balance on hand, Jan 1, Rs.
2006 23720.90

18160.50
Total 41881.40
Paid out in January 8500.00
----------------
 Minutes of Formal Meetings 13

Old Business It was moved, seconded, and voted that a

booklet describing local commercial site of historic
interest be written and published by the club and
distributed to local schools.
New Business After a discussion about improving the club’s
ability to advise the local media about its activities, a
committee consisting of Fatima Hanif, chairperson;
Sara Ahmad, Iqbal was appointed to report the next
meeting.
Program Naeem Ahmad introduced Ms. Munir, an
archaeologist at City University……
The meeting was adjourned at 5:15 pm.
 Producing the Minutes 14

Resolution minutes
Meeting of boards of directions, for example – record only
the decision reached, usually after a vote.
5 Liberty Branch
It was resolved that the company’s liberty branch be
closed with effect from 31 May 2006 and the premises,
fixtures and fittings offered for sale
 Producing the Minutes 15

Narrative Minutes( fuller picture & view)

Sometimes referred to as minutes of narration, narrative minutes

tell more of the ‘story of what happened and who said what at a
meeting.

Narrative minutes are recorded in reported speech. This simply

involves referring to committee members in the third person –
either by their office – ‘The chairman said..’ or by name, ‘Mr
Naeem asked whether ….’ When decisions are reached by a vote,
expressions such as, ‘it was generally agreed that….’ ‘It was
therefore decided that….’ Are used to introduce the details of the
decision. Further, to keep the record objective and neutral, the
passive is often used.
 Producing the Minutes 16

Action Minutes
Busy committees sometimes like to introduce a right hand
blank column beside the minutes in order to put a
designated committee member’s name against a particular
task to be carried out:

6 Annual games
The secretary was asked to seek approval to use the
company sports Ground again.

Action by: Secretary

 Some rules of indirect speech) 17

‘I’m sorry I’m late. I missed the bus.’ DIRECT SPEECH

He said that he was sorry he was late. He had missed the

bus.

He apologized for being late. He had missed the bus.

 Some rules 18

Rule one: persons/pronouns

Rule two: the tenses of verbs
Rule three: the distancing effect
Rule four: conveying the tone of the direct speech