Successful minute taking - meeting the challenge. How to prepare, write and organise agendas and minutes of meetings.

Learn to take notes and write minutes of meetings. Your role as the minute taker and how you interact with the chair and other attendees.

I'd rather throw myself downstairs .... That was how I used to feel about minute taking; this book is aimed at those among you who feel the same. It is aimed at secretaries, PAs and administrators and covers the issues that worry them; these are based on the things that worried me and the things that have worried my hundreds of delegates on my training courses over the last 10 years. This book will give you the knowledge and confidence to be able to prepare for a meeting, work with your meeting chair, take notes during the meeting and to write your minutes afterwards. It has been written by an experienced PA who now trains other people in the skills she has developed. The book is laid out in a very easy to read format and gives lots of advice based not only on Heather's experience but also the many people she ahs trained. It has a checklist to help you make sure you remember everything you need to do before, during and after the meeting. The roles of the chair and yourself are defined. There are examples and opportunities to practise your skills. About the author - Heather Baker Heather had over twenty years' experience as a secretary and PA before setting up Baker Thompson Associates Limited in 2000. The company specialises in the training and development of secretarial and administrative staff (www.bakerthompsonassoc.co.uk). She now travels all over the UK working with large and small companies to enable their office staff and PAs to work more effectively and efficiently. She also delivers courses in the Middle and Far East. Heather is a Certified NLP Practitioner. She worked for ICI Pharmaceuticals (now AstraZeneca) and Hewlett Packard; she spent 5 years in France working for the Commercial Director of Cognac Hine and then 10 years with Granada Media working up to Personal Assistant to the Managing Director, commuting regularly between their offices in Manchester and London. Heather conceived the speedwriting system BakerWrite and wrote the text book based on this system, see www.uolearn.com She has trained hundreds of people all over the world in how to take minutes and she has converted her extensive knowledge into this book. Heather has been married to Ian since 1979 and they have two daughters, Ailsa and Erin. This book is dedicated to them with profound thanks for all their support over the years.

What do people think? "This is a superb book. I wish it had read it before I started organising meetings, writing agendas and taking minutes years ago! It is full of really good tips and is very clear and easy to read. This will really help with coaching and mentoring junior members of staff."

"I read it from cover to cover on the train on the way back from London today. I thought it was excellent and, for the first time (ever!), makes minute taking seem easy! So many books make you switch off! I particularly liked the tips and hints as you went along. I have the copy at work and when I have my next PA team meeting, I'm going to ask them all to borrow it and read it!"

"As I always struggle taking minutes and it is an important part of my job I was looking for a book to help me to improve this skill. I have found this book to be invaluable especially the checklist at the back. I now feel happier taking minutes and as this used to be a job I dreaded, I feel this book is a must for anyone else in the same situation as me."