MINUTES MASTERCLASS
A clear and practical guide to meeting minutes
Learn how to take and approve meeting minutes with clarity, confidence, and compliance—and without overcomplicating the process.
Taking Minutes Shouldn’t
Be This Hard
Taking Minutes Shouldn’t
Be This Hard
- You’re unsure what belongs in minutes—and what doesn’t.
- No one really taught you how to take minutes correctly.
- You’re not sure if a recording or AI can count as minutes.
- The approval process feels inconsistent or awkward.
- You worry about capturing too much detail, or not enough.
- You’re uncertain how to handle executive session minutes.
- You’ve got questions about access to minutes and storage.
Minutes Done the Right Way
Minutes Masterclass gives you a straightforward, reliable framework for handling meeting minutes the right way. Through four focused video lessons, practical examples, and a detailed companion guide, you’ll learn exactly what to document, how to draft efficiently, and how to navigate approval and distribution with confidence. With FAQs, a ready-to-use template, and a real-world case study, this Civility learning resource equips you to apply best practices immediately.
“Minutes are a record of what was done—not what was said.”
WATCH CLASS TRAILER
INCLUDED IN MINUTES MASTERCLASS
Video Lessons
What. Why. How.
Concise, focused instruction that walks you through how to take and approve minutes—start to finish
Companion Guide
The Full Picture
A simple ready-reference guide, ideal for in-meeting use and a helpful resource for defending minutes decisions
Case Study
Minutes in the Wild.
A detailed example that shows exactly what—and what not—to include in board meeting minutes
Infographics & Scripts
What It Looks Like. What to Say.
Quick-reference visual tools, including a cheat sheet and a step-by-step minutes-approval script
Minutes Template
Plug and Play.
A ready-to-use list of what to include and exclude, designed to simplify minutes-taking immediately
FAQs
Asked and Answered.
Clear answers to the most common questions about minutes, including executive session and approval
MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Sarah E. Merkle
Sarah E. Merkle is the Founder and CEO of Civility, LLC, and one of only six attorneys worldwide credentialed as both a Certified Professional Parliamentarian-Teacher (CPP-T) and Professional Registered Parliamentarian (PRP).
With nearly twenty-five years of experience advising organizations—from corporations and nonprofits to government bodies and associations—she brings a practical, results-oriented approach to governance and procedure.
Over the course of her career, Sarah has guided dozens of organizations in taking accurate, compliant meeting minutes—helping teams document decisions clearly, avoid unnecessary risk, and create records that stand up to scrutiny.
Known for making complex concepts clear and engaging, she has taught audiences ranging from small boards to large national groups and is frequently called upon to support high-stakes and high-conflict meetings.
Her perspective is simple: parliamentary procedure should support effective decision-making, not stand in its way—and that philosophy carries through every lesson in this minutes masterclass.