We've discussed it's not really a good idea to record everything in audio format, or try to write down every single word. But I do think for some meetings for some presentations, you can't go wrong by taking notes. This is different from going out on a dinner date or meeting with a friend. It would look a little weird if a friend wants to tell you about troubles they're having with their spouse and you pull out a pen and paper but this is just about the workplace. Certainly, if your boss calls you enter his or her office, or wants to meet with you, especially if you're relatively new on the job. You cannot go wrong coming in with these two things, a pen and a piece of paper.

It shows I respect you. I want to get it just right. I'm listening and I'm not relying just on my memory. I'm going to take notes. I really That times are changing. We're in a digital world.

Here's the problem with taking notes on a cell phone. If you're taking notes on a cell phone, there's always a part of the person speaking to you part of their brain thinking, is this person really taking notes? what I'm saying? Are they checking their email and tweeting, and updating their Facebook status? Because if you're three feet away from me and my phone is like this, and I'm quickly quickly, I can't really know what you're doing. If you walk into the meeting, and you pull out a clean sheet of paper, a notepad and a pen, sure, in theory, you could be writing a grocery list, I understand.

But in general, it shows a tremendous amount of seriousness that you don't want any distractions. My recommendation, only make a note when it's something really important. Certainly if it's a to do item from a client, customer, or boss, but any other big insight, right, just enough words, to really jog your memory when you're looking at your notes. Again, you're not the court stenographer, do not try to write everything down. Because that's going to destroy your eye contact, you want to be looking at the person, so I'm a big fan of notes. But in the old fashioned format, pen or pencil, talking about really old fashioned, and paper, I realized this may change.

Two years from now, five years from now, 10 years from now and there may be people in the workplace that will say I've never learned to write printing or cursive, everything I've done is always been on a keyboard at that point, change but we're not there yet. In fact, in some high tech industries, if you're going for a job interview, or you're going to get venture Capital. It's seen as a kiss of death to be taking notes. You're seeing this kind of a real Claude, someone a little bit uncouth to be taking notes on a cell phone. Well known entrepreneur, venture capitalists, angel investor Jason Calacanis has even written in his book on advice to Angel. Those seeking Angel capital.

He says, when someone comes to him seeking angel investment, and they're taking notes on a cell phone, he already writes them off. way to do it. For both people in the room, the person who is the angel investor, but also the person seeking capital is paper and a pad. Great old fashioned tool. still highly useful.