Take the writedown how to#

Write down themes from your main notes.Here are some things to consider when taking Margin Notes so you can listen better: They collectively brainstormed changes to become a higher functioning team during these lean times.Īs you take these notes, don’t just write down the facts of the discussion. Based on Ari’s comments about the team’s culture, at their next leadership team retreat, Brenda facilitated a discussion about their implicit cultural norms. This allowed Brenda to approach the next meeting’s agenda more thoughtfully and adjust her own behavior. He was then helpful to Brenda by reflecting some of the dynamics he observed in a separate meeting.

Take the writedown how to#

He marked these comments, so if they continued to be an issue, he could raise them later.Īri’s Margin Notes enabled him to make a considered decision on how to guide the conversation more strategically toward business outcomes, rather than further fuel the competition between John and Josh.

Jennifer seems nervous whenever Josh and John seem to argue, and tends to turn to your guidance.” There were also several points that Ari chose not to raise because they were low priority at the moment. Are we relying too much on your judgment alone? Should some of these decisions be passed on to others in the team?” Lastly, Ari observed, “I worry we may not be fostering a culture of healthy conflict. Do we need to slow down? Do we lose possibilities by not questioning assumptions?” He also noted, “The team doesn’t question you they just jump into action. Then, in a one-one-one with Brenda, Ari tackled some of his other concerns: “We’re an action-driven culture. Ari took these notes following the Margin Notes model:Īri assessed his Margin Notes and focused his questions during the meeting on the most important issues he had jotted down: What are the decision criteria for budget cuts, and should cuts be spread across projects, rather than cutting projects in their entirety? He waited until the end of the meeting to also ask about cuts in infrastructure and marketing. The ensuing miscommunications, high-stakes decisions, and panic led to conflict and unproductive meetings.īrenda gathered her direct reports to discuss how they might sharpen their efforts in the face of dwindling resources. Others were desperate to take any action as soon as possible. Tensions were high, and some of the remaining team members were trying to one-up each other in discussions. Its main source of funding had been favoring its competitor, and some key people had left to start their own ventures. If you’re unable to raise some topics during the meeting and the items are important to you, tag them for follow-up.įor example, Ari is chief of staff to Brenda, the CEO of a 200-person scientific organization that was struggling. When you speak, only bring up items from your Margin Notes that haven’t already been addressed and are the highest priority, and cross them off as you go.For example, when your boss excitedly outlines idea after idea for a product launch, you might note in the margin, “Ask about budget” or “Remind about CEO memo.”

It lets you set aside (literally) your own voice and gives you space to listen to others. By marking them to the side, you separate your own thoughts from what others say.

In the margin, capture your ideas, judgments, rebuttals, and questions to each of the points you’ve written down.

You can accurately quote individuals later. These don’t have to be verbatim just jot down the key points. In the main body of your notes, capture only what the other person is saying.

Set your page with a wide margin and take notes when someone else is talking.

Margin Notes allows you to think, process information, make connections between points of discussion, and ask effective questions instead of blurting out the first thing that comes to mind. You may already take notes during meetings, but unless you’re using them wisely to understand others and plan your response, you may still fall into the same trap of speaking before you think. Through my work with executive teams, I’ve developed a simple technique that can help anyone listen more effectively in meetings. We focus on our own communication, rather than listening to understand others. Or we’re worried we’ll forget what we want to say if we listen for too long. We listen so we can jump in with our perspective. If simply listening can solve so many problems, why is it so hard to practice? One reason is we’re listening to interrupt with our ideas or rebuttals.