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Meeting Notes Template for Small Teams ​

Small teams move fast. You don't need complex meeting frameworks—you need a simple template that captures what matters and gets out of your way.

📋 The Template ​

Copy this template and customize it for your team:

markdown
# [Meeting Title]
**Date:** [Date]
**Attendees:** [Names]
**Duration:** [Time]

## Agenda
- [ ] Topic 1
- [ ] Topic 2
- [ ] Topic 3

## Discussion Notes
### [Topic 1]
- Key points discussed
- Important context

### [Topic 2]
- Key points discussed
- Important context

## Decisions Made
- ✅ Decision 1: [What was decided and why]
- ✅ Decision 2: [What was decided and why]

## Action Items
- [ ] @[Name]: [Task description] - Due: [Date]
- [ ] @[Name]: [Task description] - Due: [Date]

## Next Steps
- [What happens next]
- [Follow-up meeting date, if applicable]

## Parking Lot
- [Items to discuss later]
- [Questions that need research]

💡 How to Use This Template ​

Before the Meeting ​

  1. Set the agenda - Add 3-5 topics max. Small teams don't need 10-item agendas.
  2. Share it early - Send the agenda 24 hours before so people can prepare.
  3. Assign a note-taker - Rotate this role to keep it fair.

During the Meeting ​

  1. Start with the agenda - Stick to it. Parking lot anything off-topic.
  2. Capture decisions, not discussions - You don't need a transcript, you need outcomes.
  3. Assign action items in real-time - Don't wait until after the meeting.

After the Meeting ​

  1. Share notes within 1 hour - While it's fresh in everyone's mind.
  2. Follow up on action items - Check in before the next meeting.
  3. Archive for reference - Keep a shared folder of all meeting notes.

✅ Best Practices for Small Teams ​

Keep It Short ​

  • 15-30 minutes max for most meetings
  • If it takes longer, you probably need to break it into multiple meetings

Focus on Outcomes ​

  • Every meeting should produce decisions or action items
  • If there are no outcomes, it should have been an email

Use Async When Possible ​

  • Not everything needs a meeting
  • Use Slack, Notion, or email for updates and FYIs

Review Regularly ​

  • Every month, look at your meeting notes
  • Ask: "Which meetings were valuable? Which weren't?"

🚀 Skip the Note-Taking ​

Potato joins your meetings and does work while you talk. Questions answered in 30 seconds, documents created live. Decisions and actions are captured automatically.

Try Potato →