Why "As Soon As Possible Or ASAP" Doesn't Belong in Your Meeting Minutes: Emphasizing Clarity and Account

I reviewed several MoMs and other communications released today. A recurring phrase that stood out across various sources was "ASAP" (?? ????? ?????), which appeared frequently.

Using "ASAP" in a Minutes of Meeting (MoM) document can be problematic for several reasons:

Lack of Specificity: "ASAP" is vague and open to interpretation. What might seem urgent to one person could be seen as less pressing to another. This can lead to misunderstandings and delays.

Accountability: It's challenging to hold people accountable without a clear deadline. When tasks are marked "ASAP," there's no concrete timeframe to track progress or follow-up.

Planning and Prioritization: Specific deadlines help team members prioritize their work. When everything is labeled "ASAP," it can create unnecessary stress and lead to inefficient task management.

Transparency: Providing a specific date, or at least a date when the deadline will be decided, shows transparency and ensures everyone is on the same page.

Best Practice

If a date isn't available during the meeting, you should indicate when that date will be determined. For example:

"The project plan will be finalized by [Date]. The exact completion date for this task will be communicated by [Decision Date]."

This approach promotes clarity, accountability, and effective time management, ultimately leading to better outcomes.

Disclaimer: The views reflected in this article are the author’s views and do not necessarily reflect the views of any past or present employer of the author.