What Makes a Good Note Taker
The power of the written word is indeed mighty, and a person’s ability to discern the pertinent from the irrelevant spoken during a discussion then accurately transpose to notes can be considered both an art and a science.
Notes are defined as a memory aid; brief written recordings of thoughts, facts or topics. To accomplish well here are some key points;
The Science
- Listen and be attentive: Pay attention and write down all the key points, you can fill in the details after. It is important to remember that communication is more non verbal than verbal, so pay attention to what is not spoken as well, this too may be important.
- Be accurate: Try not to interpret or change the meaning of what is said (no matter what your views on the topic may be). Capture dates, names, times and details where important with precision. If noting a quote, quote correctly.
- Keep your notes short and to the point: Write down essential words and make short sentences in language you are at ease with so you may later grasp the material easily.
- Devise a system of abbreviation: Subject, key sentences, quick icons or bullets for visual ease, indentations and/or underlines for the crucial.
- Don’t be afraid to speak up and ask for words to be repeated if not heard: This is different to understanding a point. It is less important that you comprehend a point than it is to capture that point. Leave blank spaces that you may fill in material you missed and later grasp through questioning of a participant or reading your notes.
When preparing the final notes for distribution and/or filing a rule my mother taught me many years ago as a child turned out to be Golden: Never commit to paper anything you would be ashamed of. Though she may have meant this rule to guard a young girl against the pitfalls of writing hurtful or libelous words (as young teenaged girls do), its adaptation to all aspects of writing has helped me immensely. Carefully composed and formatted notes I have written are known to have been forwarded to CEOs and Company Boards, used in legal depositions and even attached to Government Cabinet Notes. Always take pride in what you write, practice and learn to do it well, you never know where it may end up.
The Art
- Know your audience: Choose the best format to complete your notes to suit your audience. Detailed minutes, bulleted points only or just the decisions made. Know what is needed and structure your end product to best deliver.
- Structure and clarity: Keep your information streamlined; attendees, apologies, topics, discussions, decisions made, action items, etc. Data noted should be easy to follow.
- Be timely: Don’t let too much time elapse between the time of meeting/discussion and distribution of notes, you may not remember details and actions items or crucial information may be time sensitive.
- Be professional: Even if taking notes for a social club or your neighborhood group, ensure grammar and spelling are correct, the content clear and devoid of your opinion (unless recorded as a meeting/discussion participant).
By following these simple steps and owning what you write, even notes, you may become a better note taker.
~Melissa
