Live Online Executive Business Writing & Minute Taking Training Course
Live online, instructor-led · next cohort Nov 16, 2026 · from USD 800
Executives decide on what they read, and a rambling memo or a vague set of minutes can delay a decision or leave a board exposed. Five days build the writing and recording skills that senior teams rely on. You plan documents around the reader, structure messages so the request comes first, and edit for plain English, tone and accuracy. Writing practice covers emails, letters, memos, briefing notes, executive summaries and short reports, and the courtesy and confidentiality that suit correspondence at the top of an organisation.
The second half concentrates on meetings: preparing agendas and papers, listening for decisions, taking notes by hand or on a laptop, writing minutes in a consistent format and following up actions. Personal assistants, executive and administrative secretaries, board and committee secretaries, office managers and records staff in government, NGOs, banks and companies are the intended audience. Classroom, online and in-house formats are available. Every participant writes and edits real samples, receives feedback and ends with a personal style checklist. Participants who complete the work receive a CPD-accredited certificate.
At a Glance
How Live Online Training Works
Live online training, led by a trainer in real time, for participants anywhere.
More about live online training →- Format
- Live online, instructor-led
- Duration
- Mon - Fri (5 Days)
- Fee
- USD 800 (KES 80,000)
- Next start dates
- Nov 16, 2026, Dec 14, 2026, Jan 11, 2027
- Certificate
- Certificate of Completion
- What you need
- A computer with a reliable internet connection, a webcam and a headset
About this course
Senior leaders judge an assistant or secretary largely by the paper that leaves the office. Poorly structured emails, inconsistent letters and incomplete minutes cost time, create disputes about what was agreed and weaken the image of the whole organisation. Employers increasingly look for administrative professionals who can draft on behalf of an executive and keep a reliable record of decisions.
The Executive Business Writing & Minute Taking Training Course addresses both skills in one programme. It begins with the principles of clear writing: purpose, audience, structure, vocabulary and tone. Participants then apply them to the documents executives use daily, including correspondence, briefing notes, proposals and reports, and learn proofreading methods that catch errors before they are sent.
The later days focus on minutes. Participants practise preparing for a meeting, reading the agenda and papers beforehand, capturing discussion and separating decisions from debate. They compare formats for action, resolution and verbatim minutes, and learn how chairs approve them and how follow-up is tracked. Daily exercises use realistic scenarios and recorded role-play meetings, with individual feedback to help each person build a polished and confident style.
Training Objectives
Upon completion, participants will be able to:
- Plan business documents around the purpose and needs of the reader.
- Write concise emails, letters and memos in a professional tone.
- Produce executive summaries and short reports with a logical structure.
- Edit and proofread to remove errors, jargon and unnecessary words.
- Prepare agendas, notices and papers for formal meetings.
- Take effective notes and convert them into accurate minutes.
- Record actions, owners and deadlines and follow them up.
- Handle confidential information with discretion.
What you'll learn
Key Takeaways
Participants finish with:
- Reusable templates for letters, memos, briefing notes and emails.
- A proofreading checklist they can apply to every document.
- A minute-taking template with action tracker for their meetings.
- Corrected samples of their own writing with tutor comments.
- Techniques for note-taking under pressure.
- A personal plan for sustained improvement.
Training Methodology
Skills are built by doing, supported by:
- Short writing tasks completed and marked during each session
- Before-and-after editing of genuine workplace documents
- Recorded mock meetings from which groups produce minutes
- Tutor and peer feedback on style, accuracy and layout
- A take-home pack of templates and phrase banks
Day 1: Principles of Clear Business Writing
- Purpose, audience and the single message
- Planning with outlines and the pyramid approach
- Plain English, active voice and short sentences
- Tone, courtesy and cultural sensitivity
- Common grammar and punctuation traps
- Exercise: rewriting a poor memo
Day 2: Correspondence for Executives
- Email structure, subject lines and etiquette
- Formal letters and standard layouts
- Writing on behalf of an executive
- Declining, apologising and delivering bad news
- Handling confidential and sensitive messages
- Exercise: drafting a day's correspondence
Day 3: Reports, Briefs and Summaries
- Briefing notes and decision papers
- Executive summaries that stand alone
- Structuring short reports and recommendations
- Presenting facts, tables and simple charts
- Editing and proofreading methods
- Exercise: condensing a long report
Day 4: Meeting Preparation and Note Taking
- Agendas, notices and meeting packs
- Understanding the roles of chair and secretary
- Quorum, standing orders and formal procedure
- Listening for decisions and actions
- Shorthand, abbreviations and digital note-taking
- Practice: recording a simulated meeting
Day 5: Writing and Managing Minutes
- Action, resolution and narrative minute formats
- Neutral language and handling contentious items
- Drafting, circulating and approving minutes
- Action registers and follow-up reminders
- Filing, retention and confidentiality of records
- Final assessment and personal plan
This programme will help anyone who writes for senior people or records their meetings, including:
- Executive assistants and personal assistants
- Administrative and executive secretaries
- Board and committee secretaries
- Company secretarial and governance officers
- Office managers and administration officers
- Records and registry staff
- Communications and programme officers who prepare briefings
- Junior managers who draft for directors
Attendance at all sessions and submission of the written exercises lead to a CPD-accredited Certificate of Completion, awarded by Vision Reach Global Consultancy.
Choose Where You Want to Learn
Executive Business Writing & Minute Taking Training Course Venues
KenyaNairobiNext Nov 9· 13 dates$1,500- KenyaMombasaNext Oct 26· 13 dates$1,600
- KenyaNaivashaNext Nov 2· 13 dates$1,500
- KenyaKisumuNext Oct 26· 13 dates$1,500
- KenyaMachakosNext Nov 2· 13 dates$1,600
UgandaKampalaNext Nov 2· 13 dates$1,900
RwandaKigaliNext Oct 26· 13 dates$1,900
TanzaniaArushaNext Nov 9· 13 dates$1,900- TanzaniaDodomaNext Oct 26· 13 dates$1,800
- TanzaniaDar es SalaamNext Oct 26· 13 dates$2,000
- TanzaniaZanzibarNext Nov 16· 13 dates$2,600
NigeriaLagosNext Nov 16· 13 dates$2,800- NigeriaAbujaNext Nov 9· 13 dates$2,800
South AfricaPretoriaNext Nov 2· 13 dates$3,200- South AfricaJohannesburgNext Nov 2· 13 dates$3,400
- South AfricaCape TownNext Oct 26· 13 dates$3,800
UAEDubaiNext Oct 26· 13 dates$3,800
GhanaAccraNext Nov 16· 13 dates$4,500
Scroll sideways to see all 18 cities →
Frequently Asked Questions About Live Online Executive Business Writing & Minute Taking Training Course
Everything you need to know about this course before you register.
By the end of the Executive Business Writing & Minute Taking programme, you'll be able to plan business documents around the purpose and needs of the reader, write concise emails, letters and memos in a professional tone, produce executive summaries and short reports with a logical structure, and edit and proofread to remove errors, jargon and unnecessary words. The full breakdown of topics is covered session by session in the Course Outline tab above.
This programme will help anyone who writes for senior people or records their meetings, including: Executive assistants and personal assistants, Administrative and executive secretaries, Board and committee secretaries, Company secretarial and governance officers, Office managers and administration officers, Records and registry staff, Communications and programme officers who prepare briefings, and Junior managers who draft for directors.
Executive Business Writing & Minute Taking Training Course typically runs as 5 Days. It's available as in-person classroom, live virtual, and in-house corporate training — every course can also be delivered on-site for your team on dates that suit you.
Executive Business Writing & Minute Taking Training Course is scheduled in-classroom in Nairobi, Kenya, Mombasa, Kenya, Naivasha, Kenya, and Kisumu, Kenya, and 14 other locations, plus a live interactive virtual classroom you can join from anywhere. Check the schedule panel above for exact upcoming dates and fees in each location.
The next live virtual cohort of Executive Business Writing & Minute Taking starts November 16, 2026, with new classroom cohorts also running on a rolling basis. Pick a date and location in the schedule panel above, then click "Register for the Course" — it takes a few minutes and your seat is confirmed once payment or a signed purchase order is received.
Yes — delegates who meet the attendance requirement receive a Certificate of Completion for Executive Business Writing & Minute Taking Training Course from Vision Reach Global Consultancy, issued in the name you register with, so double-check the spelling at checkout.
Executive Business Writing & Minute Taking Training Course is pitched at all levels professionals. If you're unsure whether it's the right fit for your current role or background, message our training advisors before you register and they'll help you confirm.
Fees for Executive Business Writing & Minute Taking Training Course vary by delivery location and format and are shown in real time in the schedule panel above once you pick a date. Register 3 or more delegates on the same course together and a 5% team discount is applied automatically — larger cohorts can request a custom corporate quote.
Yes — Executive Business Writing & Minute Taking Training Course can be delivered on-site at your offices (or virtually for distributed teams), with case studies and examples tailored to your industry and the specific challenges your team is working through. Switch to the "In-House" tab in the schedule panel above to request a proposal.
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What Our Clients Say
VRG brings strategic discipline to complex organizational challenges. Their approach is structured, data-driven, and outcome-focused.
Levis Wabwire
Managing Director
They facilitated our strategy review, we improved departmental KPI alignment by 35% and reduced operational bottlenecks significantly.
David Oketch
Strategy Lead
Employee engagement scores increased following the leadership training program. The difference in accountability culture is evident.
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Program Manager
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