How to Write Meeting Notes That Drive Action

How I Structure My Meeting Notes as a Program Manager at Amazon One of the most underrated skills in program management is note-taking. With so many meetings, decisions, and action items flying around, having a solid system for capturing and organizing information is critical. Over the years, I’ve developed a structure that keeps me on top of things—and ensures nothing slips through the cracks. Here’s how I approach my meeting notes: 1️⃣ Start with the Basics I always document the essentials upfront: • Meeting Name & Date • Attendees • Objective or Agenda (Why are we here?) This helps me quickly orient myself when reviewing notes later. 2️⃣ Use Action-Driven Sections My notes are broken into three sections: • Decisions Made: Clear and concise. What was decided, and why? • Action Items: Each action includes an owner, due date, and a quick description of what’s expected. No ambiguity. • Key Discussions: I summarize important points—nothing overly detailed, just enough to provide context. 3️⃣ Keep Notes Digital and Searchable I use tools like OneNote to keep everything organized and searchable. By tagging projects, teams, or topics, I can quickly find past notes without digging through endless files. 4️⃣ Review and Share Afterward After the meeting, I do a quick review of my notes, clean them up if needed, and share them with attendees. It’s a great way to confirm alignment and ensure everyone is clear on next steps. This system helps me stay organized, track progress, and reduce the chances of things falling through the cracks. How do you structure your meeting notes? #ProgramManagement #Leadership #Amazon #Productivity #Meetings

If you’re an AE and still sending “Recap Emails” after discovery calls, let me save you 12 months of frustration: You're making a mistake. You are confusing the buyer. You’re flooding them with everything you heard—but not what they need to do next. It feels helpful. It feels “consultative.” But in reality, it kills momentum. Here’s what I teach my AEs instead: Only one thing matters between first meeting and proposal: Progress. Forget the fluff. The notes. The recap. The follow-up should be this simple: “Great meeting with your team. Looks like there’s strong potential to help. As a next step, we’ll need to do a deeper dive into your environment so we can show you a tailored demo and proposal with implementation details and costs. Let’s schedule that session—it should take about an hour. After that, we’ll be ready to deliver a proposal.” That’s it. No persuasion. No selling. Just forward motion. Why does this work? Because: Buyers don’t read your bullet-pointed essays. They don’t remember action items buried in paragraphs. They don’t need more “convincing” before the demo. They need clarity. Ownership. Urgency. And when you stop treating every meeting like a closing opportunity, you’ll finally start getting to the point that matters: Proposal on the table.

Over the years, I've found that effective meeting minutes are not just a record but a tool for better productivity and communication. So, how do you get the minutes to work for you and your team? Here's what's worked for me: Choose the Right Tools: It might be tempting to grab a piece of paper and a pen, but using a digital tool can make your minutes more accessible and easier to edit. Apps like OneNote or Google Docs work well for this. Prepare in Advance: Know the agenda before the meeting starts. That helps you anticipate the kind of information you'll need to capture. Designate a Minute Taker: If you’re running the meeting, it might be tough to take minutes too. So, have someone else take on this responsibility, and then review the minutes afterward to ensure accuracy. Record Only What’s Necessary: You don’t need to write a transcript. Focus on decisions made, action items, and deadlines. Keep it concise but clear. Use Bullet Points: Makes it easier to read and understand. Straight to the point is the way to go. Include Action Items: Note down what needs to be done, by whom, and by when. This way, nobody leaves the meeting wondering, “Now what?” Review In-Meeting: Before the meeting closes, do a quick review of the minutes and ask for any corrections or additions. This ensures everyone leaves with the same understanding. Distribute Quickly: Don't wait for days to send out the minutes. The quicker you get them out, the fresher the meeting is in people’s minds, making it easier to get started on action items. Follow-Up: Use the minutes as a tool for follow-up. Check off completed items and carry forward the ones that are pending. Effective meeting minutes are more than a record, they're a productivity tool. Peter Drucker - "Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things." Use your minutes to make sure you're doing both. #Productivity #EffectiveMeetings #LeadershipTips