Everything we know about board minutes
Plain-English guides, honest advice, and true stories — for board admins, EDs, and minute takers doing eight jobs at once.
Why Board Minutes Take So Long (And Why It Isn't Your Fault)
Board minutes take longer than expected because writing them requires judgment, not just note-taking. Here's why it isn't your fault, and what to do about it.
Marci Cornell-Feist
Recent
How would a tool that wasn't in the room know what actually matters to my organization?
July 27, 2026 · 2 min read
The board keeps asking me to change things in the minutes. How do I know who's right?
June 30, 2026 · 1 min read
I've been copying the same minutes format for six years. Am I doing it wrong?
June 28, 2026 · 2 min read
My board doesn't want to be recorded. But without a recording the minutes take forever. What do I do?
June 26, 2026 · 2 min read
Can I use AI to take the minutes so I can actually participate in the meeting?
AI can help you significantly. It cannot replace you entirely. Not yet. And the bigger problem here isn't the technology.
– The Only One in Ohio
What the New ED Found in the Filing Cabinet
He had been on the job six weeks when he found the minutes. Eight pages of careful legal hedging that told him nothing about whether the board was doing its job.
Can I just use the Zoom summary as my board minutes?
No. A Zoom summary is a technology product. Board minutes are a legal document. They are not the same thing, and one cannot substitute for the other.
– Tempted by Technology in Tacoma
The Sunday Afternoon That Disappeared
She sat down after lunch to finish the minutes and looked up to find it was dark outside. Four pages. Eight hours. One Sunday afternoon that simply disappeared.
I Didn't Know I Was the Board Secretary
She said “sure” when the ED asked her to take the minutes. Looking back, that may have been the last moment she felt confident.
Board Minutes Are Everyone's Responsibility — And Nobody Knows It
Most organizations treat board minutes as one person's problem. Good minutes require something from everyone in the room — and nobody tells them what.
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