To Have Better Conversations, Stop Taking Notes
Try this instead
“I go through dozens of notebooks every year and write down everything that occurs to me each day. An idea not written down is an idea lost. When inspiration calls, you’ve got to capture it.” — Richard Branson
Many of the most famous people in the world are note-takers. Taking notes promotes active listening, it helps with memory, it allows you to jot down ideas, and it shows the other person how engaged you are during a conversation.
But how engaged are you actually?
When I was a freshman in college, I had a really cool opportunity to meet the CEO of a big real estate firm in New York City for a 30-minute meeting. My friends’ dad helped me set up the meeting, and before wishing me luck, he told me to bring a pen and legal pad and take lots of notes. So, that’s what I did.
As I spoke with this CEO in his fancy corner office, I scribbled furiously, trying to get down every single word he said. I appeared to be engaged. I felt like the CEO respected my desire to learn and absorb. But I wouldn’t actually know, because I was looking down at my legal pad the entire time! I don’t know if I truly “heard” anything he was saying. But rather, I just tried to regurgitate his words onto my paper.
