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Recovering the Lost Art of Note Taking

I spend most of my work-life in meetings. Note-taking is a survival skill. Yet, I am surprised at how few people bother to take notes in meetings. Those who do sometimes express frustration at how ineffective the exercise seems to be.

Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/webphotographeer, Image #5468594

In this post, I’d like to expound on why I think you should take notes in meetings and then offer a few suggestions on how to do it better.

  1. Note-taking enables you to stay engaged. The real benefit is not what happens after the meeting but during the meeting itself. If I don’t take notes, my mind wanders. I daydream. As they say, “the lights are on, but no one is home.” However, when I take notes, I find that I stay more alert, focused, and actively involved. My contribution to the meeting is thus more likely to add value to the topic under discussion. This is why I take notes even if someone is officially taking minutes.
  2. Note-taking provides a mechanism for capturing your ideas, questions, and commitments. Not everything can be resolved in the meeting. Some ideas require incubation. Questions require further research. Commitments require follow-up that cannot be done until after the meeting. Regardless, note-taking provides a way to capture the content of the meeting, so that I can processes it after the meeting.
  3. Note-taking communicates the right things to the other attendees. When someone takes notes, it communicates to everyone else that they are actively listening. It also communicates that what others are saying is important—it is worth making the effort to record their insights. If you are in a leadership position, it also subtly establishes accountability. Your people think, If the boss is writing it down, he probably intends to follow-up. I better pay attention. As a leader, your example speaks volumes. If you take notes, your people will likely take notes. If you don’t, it is likely they won’t.

But how can you more effectively take notes? There are numerous note-taking systems. Here is the one I use:

  1. Use a journal-formatted notebook. If you have something else that is working, great. Stick with it. If not, I recommend one of the Moleskine notebooks. The name (officially pronounced mol-a-skeen-a, although it can vary) comes from the French spelling of ‘moleskin,’ which the oilcloth covering resembles. I have used the Large Ruled Journal for years and never go anywhere without it.
  2. Keep your meeting notes as a running journal. I give each new meeting (or topic) its own heading, along with the current date. The notes run continuously until I fill up the journal. Then I begin a new one.
  3. Use symbols so you can quickly scan your notes later. I indent my notes from the left edge of the paper about half an inch. This allows me to put my symbols in the left margin. I use four:
    • If an item is particularly important or insightful, I put a star next to it.
    • If an item requires further research or resolution, I put a question mark next to it.
    • If an item requires follow-up, I put a ballot box (open square) next to it. When the item is completed, I check it off.
    • If I have assigned a follow-up item to someone, I put an open circle next to it (similar to the ballot box but a circle rather than a square). In the notes, I indicate who is responsible. When the item is completed, I check it off.

    Here’s a slide I use in my speaking when I teach this method:

    smart-notes.008.jpg

  4. Schedule time to review your notes. This is the secret. I scan my notes immediately after the meeting if possible. If that is not possible, then I do it at the end of my workday. If I miss several days, I do it during my weekly review. Regardless, I take action on those items that I can do in less than two-minutes. Those that will take longer I enter into Entourage (or Outlook for you PC users) either as a task or an appointment.

Note: I originally wrote a version of this post several years ago. However, it was buried deep in my archives. I think it is as relevant now as when I wrote it. So I have dusted it off and published this new version.

Question: What do you find helpful when you are taking notes? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Posted on August 20, 2009

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  • http://www.sixbluedata.com David Isaak

    I heartily agree on the lack of note-taking during meetings/phone conversations now days (even my own lack at times!). I particulary add visual aids symbology to enhance and draw my later attention to what I have recorded. I have also found one of the prime values is that it engages my attention actively during the communication, insteand of drifting towarcs passive inattention

  • http://gailbhyatt.wordpress.com/ Gail

    Thanks for this reminder. I love taking notes—for all the reasons you sited, especially, "…The real benefit is not what happens after the meeting but during the meeting itself. If I don’t take notes, my mind wanders. I daydream." You know this is true about me. <grin>

    However, I've fallen down on reviewing them. The idea of reviewing them, first immediately after the meeting (or sermon, or seminar, etc.) and again at a scheduled time is brilliant. I rarely, if ever, review my notes. Hello. Seems like a no-brainer.

    Thanks for this reminder. I'm purposing to kick my notetaking up to the next level.

    And, oh, by the way, have I told you I love you today? … I DO!!

    • http://intensedebate.com/people/michaelhyatt Michael Hyatt

      I love it when my wife comments! You are a great note-taker—in fact, one of the best I have ever seen. I sometimes can't believe the volume of stuff you write. You're my hero!

  • http://www.successfulfreelancewriter.com Kathryn Lang

    Great tips – I try to take notes any time some one is speaking. You never know what may come from their words. I think reviewing the notes is probably one of the most important steps. Otherwise you just have a notebook of notes and nothing comes out of it.

    • http://intensedebate.com/people/michaelhyatt Michael Hyatt

      Absolutely. Reviewing is as important as the note-taking itself.

  • http://www.aspiretolead.blogspot.com Mary Jo Asmus

    Hi Michael,

    I feel as though I retain so much more when I take notes! They can also provide inspiration for blog posts (as when you are at a conference).

    I love the tactile-ness of writing notes. I've often wondered if the "feel" of note writing has any effect on learning and memory.

    • http://intensedebate.com/people/michaelhyatt Michael Hyatt

      I don't have the proof, but I have to believe note-taking does improve your
      learning and memory. It's another way to \”imprint\” the content on your
      brain.

    • http://www.intensedebate.com/people/michaelhyatt Michael Hyatt

      I don't have the proof, but I have to believe note-taking does improve your learning and memory. It's another way to "imprint" the content on your
      brain.

    • http://www.intensedebate.com/people/michaelhyatt Michael Hyatt

      I don't have the proof, but I have to believe note-taking does improve your learning and memory. It's another way to "imprint" the content on your brain.

    • http://intensedebate.com/people/patriciazell patriciazell

      Studies have shown that simply doodling while listening helps people retain what they hear.

  • http://www.john-gallagher.blogspot.com John Gallagher

    Mike, Thanks for sharing. I do use the ballot box, but I like the idea about the circle for those items you delegate.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/estephen estephen

    Great thoughts, Michael. Personally I use the A4 plain Moleskine now and rely on Mind mapping as my way of taking notes.

    • http://intensedebate.com/people/michaelhyatt Michael Hyatt

      That is a great way to do it.

  • Colleen Coble

    Author Denise Hunter gave me some of those moleskine notebooks a couple of years ago and I'm hooked too. I most often use them for jotting down ideas for a new book. There's something about the activity of pen to paper that links to creativity for me. I have to use my notebook and pen for that but then switch to my MacBook to actually write. The human mind is so strange. :-)

    • http://intensedebate.com/people/michaelhyatt Michael Hyatt

      I do that, too. I often take notes for blog post ideas. They hit me at the weirdest times!

  • http://emilysteffel.blogspot.com/ Emily

    Good topic! I have a wonderful mentor and one of the first things I learned from her (by watching her — can't remember her outright telling me to do so) was note-taking.

    Things that are helpful to me: I circle an "A" by action items that require follow-up on my part, and I place a large G next to remarks made by superiors when expressing strategic goals and focus.

    I also type up my notes after a meeting and place them in a 3 ring binder by topic for easy reference later (make sure to date and list who else was involved!!). I place all "A" items in my Outlook tasks.

    Thanks for the article!

    • http://intensedebate.com/people/michaelhyatt Michael Hyatt

      I like the "G" designation. Thanks for sharing!

  • http://www.davidteems.com David Teems

    I was at a meeting just yesterday and was asked if I had a steel trap memory because I wasn't taking notes. But an iPhone with iProRecorder or Voice Memos is an efficient way (a quiet and surreptitious way) to take notes and maintain eye contact with the person speaking. I think the trick might be, with notetaking, to maintain that balance between eye contact and active engagement (etiquette), and acquiring an ear for the real salient points of her presentation, those things that definitely need jotting down. Hence, the word "art" as you defined this. Excellent. [Of course, speaking of etiquette, it might be nice to ask permission to record].

  • http://www.paulwallis.net Paul Anthony Wallis

    Michael, Thanks so much for this. So practical. It's amazing how we often assume these basic skills are out there! Like Gail I find note-taking enables me to stay engaged and attentive and like you, Michael, I always schedule time to sit down and review my notes. We miss so much when we don't take time to think and reflect. Often it's only on that later read-through that you have the mental space to note "That whole discussion was based on such and such an assumption", or to ask "Why didn't we pursue that thought further?' or to register, "Say, Brian was pretty quiet during that part of the meeting. I wonder why!" etc. Some of us (especially we males) take time to really register what we have picked up in a meeting. So that sitting down later with notes, I think, is critical.

  • http://sandraking-beholding-god.blogspot.com/ Sandra King

    Excellent! I have been a notetaker for as long as I can remember – in meetings, in seminars, in classes, in sermons, watching TV. There truly is something about putting a real pen to real paper using my God-given anatomy that helps focus and retain.

    Reviewing ASAP is important because sometimes I write so fast it is almost illegible or forgotten in context if I wait too long. Then I may recopy and organize.

    I use symbols while studying the Bible. It makes sense to use them in my own notes, too – as well as in books since I'm also an underliner and marker upper.

    Oh – if I have a personal insight during the notetaking or in a book, I jot it down and scribble a cloud around it.

    Thanks!

  • http://twitter.com/MudandCoffee @MudandCoffee

    I like the ballot box idea. I am a serious note taker, too. For speakers who inspire a lot of commentary, I draw a line down the page to create a 1/3 margin. Quotes and direct notes from the speaker go on one side, my own thoughts and ideas go on the other. This eliminates the need to initial for each tidbit.

    • http://intensedebate.com/people/patriciazell patriciazell

      MudandCoffee, you might want to google graphic organizers for note-taking. There are multitudes of them available. I use many different graphic organizers in my high school English classroom to help students understand concepts

  • Faye

    Thanks for reposting this. I recently found it in your archives and read then, but it was helpful again. I am probably the champion note-taker and a benefit is that I always come up with wonderful ideas during the meeting. Like others, my review process could be better, but I know that I can recall things from past meetings just because I wrote it down. People often look to me in meetings for historical reference on our business and I can usually recall the information on the spot. I do not think I would be able to do that if I had not taken notes.

  • Joel Widmer

    Another great way to capture you notes is Evernote. You can take a pic of it and it lets you search your handwriting. (and it's free)
    My question is how do you store your notes?

  • http://www.creationinspirations.com Cheryl Pickett

    Most of the time when I take notes, I use a style I learned on the first day in my first class in high school (or a modified version). The teacher, one of my strongest mentors in life, gave us a simple outline technique. I start at the left with the main topic and indent to the right for sub-topic points and details. I also occasionally add symbols or margin notes to draw particular attention to an item.

    I think this topic also leads to another-if you're speaking or presenting be aware that people may take notes and present your materials to make it as easy as possible to do so. I find it frustrating when speakers jump all over the place. I can modify my note taking strategy to fit a presentation style, but there's a point where if someone's too hard to follow, I give up completely and that doesn't help anyone.

  • Tommy Lane

    I’ve heard it said that when you see, hear and write it down, you will remember and learn better. There is some kind of connection from the pen to the brain.

  • Scott Macdonald

    Certain meetings can be captured well with a mind mapping tool – I use Mind Manager from MindJet.

    It does not end itself to smaller groups or certain topics, although I occasionally use it after the fact as a way to document and rethink even this type of meeting. It does fit well for a planning discussion or larger group meetings and is especially effective at capturing thoughts and ideas that are outliers t the current conversation ,but important not to lose.

    The biggest plus is that it enables you to organize your notes well and quickly. I find that I usually come out with 4-6 "buckets" that the notes logically fit into, one often being a follow up bucket. The negative is that you are using a computer and it can create the perception that you are not focused on the meeting. When I use this tool, I am clear up front about what I am doing and why, and then I distribute a PDF version to the participants soon afterward so they can see the results.

  • Aaron

    I just decided to do this about two weeks ago after reading your weekly review post. I've always avoided notes because I'd forget to review them, but that gave me structure within which to do it. The weekly review has been a huge game-changer for me across the board.

    Very useful post — and I was glad to see I had ordered exactly the right Moleskine notebook from Amazon :)

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/patalexander patalexander

    I saw a Moleskine for the 1st time a few years ago. At the time I thought I could take and keep all my notes on my laptop. However, time proved that was not the case. I ordered a Moleskine and now I never leave home without one. You just never know when a thought might come to mind that needs to be captured in addition to those all important meeting notes. I have learned that I receive so much information each day that I can't keep it all in my memory. As a blogger and writer, it is important that I capture those ideas when they occur.

  • http://terlinhart.blogspot.com Terry Linhart

    I remember in 1992, when I walked in to the national training event for Youth for Christ as the newly-minted national Campus Life instructor. I went to observe an in-progress session, feeling confident in my new "status." In the back row of that session was youth ministry veteran and guru Bill Eakin, one of the "creators" of Campus Life 30 years prior. What was he doing? Scribbling notes, learning, and communicating to this full-of-himself youngster that you're never too old to learn from others – and note-taking is a chief way to do that.

  • http://twitter.com/KLOlund @KLOlund

    Mike, I was just introduced to http://www.livescribe.com and its Pulse Smarpens. A bit pricy for me, but they come in 1GB or 2GB, and they work with special paper that has almost unnoticeable dots, which help record everythign you write and convert it to electronic documents. It also records audio, so you can capture an entire conversation and find certain clips by tapping on a word in your notebook. I won't say anything more since I don't know that much and, therefore, don't want to say anyything incorrect. My friend, though, said that the idea began with someone who was affiliated with the company that makes LeapPads computer educational toys for kids. It started out for PCs only but is now available for Mac. Have you looked into this?

    • http://intensedebate.com/people/DerekDRobertson DerekDRobertson

      I saw this at target. Looks like a great tool. Someday.

    • http://twitter.com/KLOlund @KLOlund

      I need an editor! Oh wait, I am one. How embarrassing! BTW LiveScribe has notebooks that are similar to Moleskin ones. They also offer spiral-bound, college-ruled paper for students.

    • http://www.usefulfruit.com/ Chad Sellers

      I write a Mac app called Pear Note ( http://www.usefulfruit.com/pearnote ) that has some similar concepts to the Livsecribe pen (recording audio and being able to click on your notes and jump to that point in the audio). It might be something worth checking out for the Mac users out there that would prefer something cheaper and able to do many things the Livescribe can't due to the fact that it is a physical pen.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/Clear2Go Clear2Go

    Great Article and it is timely for me. I have never been a great note taker, notes I take I forget to follow up on, or I loose, or whatever. I try to organize them, but it ends up not being organized over time. One thing I do is add all notes to either my laptop or my PDA during the meeting — that way they are search-able and i find this helps.
    Recently we hired a new employee. One of my tasks was to mentor her. Her initial assignment was to work on a project I was leading. She has less experience than I in the work force, but her note taking skills are amazing. She constantly takes notes and is very organized. What amazed me is she used the notes constantly afterwards. She was one of the first people to make it actually work. I may have been mentoring her, but I also learned a lot about how to take notes and make them useful. I am still not an expert and not as good as her, but I've improved my note taking skills immensely as a result of working with her.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/DerekDRobertson DerekDRobertson

    I think if I would have done better in school if I had applied this. Now I just need to apply it period.

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  • http://reflectionsinthelight.blogspot.com Lauren Yarger

    I can't imagine not taking notes at a meeting (and for a journalist, old habits die hard). I might as well not even attend if I don't take notes. Notes are the starting point for me for actions that come out of the meeting. If I had to stop later and try to remember assignments, follow ups, leads, deadlines and other vital information in my notes, I'd be very unproductive indeed. On the other end, I probably wouldn't have a lot of patience for an employee who didn't think my information was important enough to note. If I had to keep reminding him or her of information they should have noted, it might lead to termination.

  • http://forrestlongart.com Forrest Long

    I'm addicted to note taking- at meetings, when I'm reading, when I'm online and come across great ideas or quotes. I find it so helpful in retaining what I hear and enables me to process it later. I also write down book or article ideas and enlarge on them in the notebook until I want to begin the real thing. I've been note taking for years. Thanks Mike for the article.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/jasondtaylor Jason Taylor

    This is a great post and very timely. In coaching, I've been encouraged to use the computer for taking notes and have found it to be cumbersome. It's certainly easier I guess but for some reason, writing down on the page, the key thoughts, tasks, actions and using a system of symbols (much like yours) has been more helpful to me of late.

    I'm also working on being more intentional about my tweeting and blogging so I specifically purchased a little Moleskin in addition to the one I use for my journal, that I carry with me everywhere. I put notes and thoughts and quips and ideas in it and so far it's been one of the best habits I've established of late.

  • http://anam-cara.typepad.com Shelia

    Love this post!! I am a copious notetaker. Sometimes I do it, as you mentioned, simply to be an engaged listener. The kinesthetic activity of writing it down tends to imprint the information more indelibly in my brain, even if I do not hang on to the notes.

    Also, I affirm the necessity of review for information you intend to archive. I have discovered that shortcuts I felt sure I would understand are not as clear as I suspected when I review them. Therefore, it is essential to review early when the information is still fresh. That way you can supplement your notes where necessary so that a few weeks down the road, they will still make sense.

    One other thing I have found helpful with regard to keeping a moleskine is an index once the moleskine is complete. That way I can find pertinent information quickly.

  • Linda

    I've been using an "analog work journal" for notes, which was inspired by http://www.diyplanner.com/node/4534. The index he has in the back has been very useful. I don't just use it for meetings, but for things that I need for reference but would be clutter.

  • http://CarryingDaily.blogspot.com Martin Richardson

    I think notes are very useful, I often use my netbook to take notes, or a regular spiral notebook if necessary. I prefer the netbook because my penmanship is very poor if I’m jotting quick things. I even try to use old receipts or something from my wallet if it’s small and important.

  • http://jezmanugue.blogspot.com Jez

    This art should also be restored in church. People shouldn't be just listening to the pastor as they preach as if they have 160GB of memory storage.. :D
    We have been reviving this note-taking to our youth church, and their participation and growth has never been the same.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/makasha makasha

    I am an extreme note taker – my planners have been used as evidence in court cases. I used to rely strictly on my Frankin Covey planners for note taking. Since I don't have as large a budget as I used to I use $0.15 spiral notebooks from Wal-Mart.

    I have had my eye on a Moleskin for a while. I might just treat myself to one now.

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  • http://www.laurindaonleadership.com Laurinda

    Great post. I use a cheap composition notebook (great deals on them now with the start of a school year), different symbols but very similar methodology. I would not survive without it.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/kathrynd kathrynd

    Will you talk about short hand or how to best capture notes. I think what trips me up sometimes is trying to write down a hole sentence. Used to be able to take notes like that not able to anymore.

  • Dave

    Outstanding topic. As a former journalist now manager of a broadcast operation, I'm always taking notes in meetings, while on the phone etc. I use many of the techniques described by others. But I use a 81/2 x 11" yellow pad. When I'm done with a meeting I file them by project into a folder. So when I go to a meeting, I have all my notes related to the topic. Putting all projects and all meetings into one journal doesn't work well for me. Some folders have notes dating back a year or more. I tried to use Microsoft One Note which is outstanding as the search function is invaluable but I don't like carrying a laptop to meetings. It's not part of our culture. Altho' a laptop would mean I'd carry less folders to meetings particularly when I travel. In my son's workplace everyone carries a laptop wherever they go, so One Note is much more valuable. I'm not ready to make that leap. Keep the good ideas coming…..

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/patriciazell patriciazell

    I jot notes down whenever I'm in a meeting or listening to a speaker. Somehow just doing that helps set the information in my mind. I don't always physically review my notes, but I start mentally reviewing them as I write them down.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/toddmckeever toddmckeever

    I think notes are extremely valuable and program into my Monday schedule (as this is my admin and review day) every week. I have found that my "LiveScribe" pen (http://www.livescribe.com/) is one of the greatest tools in my tool belt. It allows me to sync to my mac or pc if that is what you choose to use, email out the notes and audio from the mtg. and even transcribe my written notes. Plus a great search field as well.

    Before this I used a journal style Moleskin though.

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  • http://intensedebate.com/people/richgoidel richgoidel

    Excellent post and comments! I also feel strongly about "the lost art." So much so, that I created a system much like yours, but with the extension of metadata in a column on the right. You can check it out here (free): http://www.mightynotes.net

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/jaycaruso Jay

    This is a good post. An excellent alternative to the Moleskin notebooks (which I believe are rather pricey) is the Markings notebook by CR Gibson. The paper quality is just as good and they also have the elastic and bookmark. They're about $6-$7 cheaper than Moleskin.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/Beaconhillnw Jim

    i use my Moleskine and Evernote (on laptop and blackberry)

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  • Saurabh Daga

    Note taking is one of the simple things which if done perfectly can fetch amazing results in our daily work routine. note taking helps us to keep track of things during a meeting and also when a person comes to a meeting with a note pad and a pen and raring to scribble it just shows how important that meeting or conference is for him. There are lot of minute details or small but important information which can be recalled and recorded and reproduced whenever needed if a person is in habbit of scribbling down notes.

  • http://www.madebymark.com Mark McElroy

    Used to take beautiful handwritten notes, but now find they're not useful, because they don't easily make the jump into my electronic ToDo and information storage/retrieval systems. So: back to typing notes into a keyboard, which never seems to quite capture information at the same level of detail.

  • Mary West

    I find it helpful to take notes everywhere I go. Even at work which doesnt require much more than greeting folks who buy from us. It helps me remember the good times and reminds me not to repeat mistakes of the past. Also I can concentrate better as I write where as if I didnt precious moments would be lost in time gone by. Mary

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/patalexander patalexander

    My notes used to get really old and mean nothing by the time I got to them. I started using a Moleskin journal 2 years ago and it has greatly improved my skills. I feel compelled to take neater notes in this beautiful journal. I finally learned to take time within a few days to review those notes and eliminate those that don't apply

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  • http://www.cherylblemine.wordpress.com Cheryl B. Lemine

    I like the phrase "active listening." I use it when teaching my middle school creative writers how to listen as their peers are sharing written works orally with the class. They are not taking notes but I explain to them that listening is a skill and that it is easy to become distracted. I remind them to have their hands empty, to sit up and look at the speaker so they can focus. THEN I have to watch myself becaue sometimes I'll pick up my pen to jot something down before I realize that I need to be practicing the skill as well – and setting the example.

    I have finally purchased my first moleskin journal and wonder now why I waited so long. Now I want to write all the time!
    My recent post Family and Faith: My Favorite Christmas Gift

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