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Re: I Don't Take Notes (was "The mushroom syndrome")
Subject:Re: I Don't Take Notes (was "The mushroom syndrome") From:Linda Castellani <linda -at- GRIC -dot- COM> Date:Wed, 20 Jan 1999 15:08:42 -0800
From the opposite end of the spectrum on the subject of taking notes:
Our group was placed under the direction of a new manager shortly before
the product was to be released. He instituted daily meetings to track the
release, and started out by having people take turns at taking minutes.
After the second or third meeting, it was my turn, and he told me he wanted
me to do it all the time. I protested mildly at first, saying I liked it a
lot better when we took turns, but I did it. Secretly, I relished the task
because it enabled me to get up to speed a lot quicker on all aspects of
the product without protest from any parties, I could interrupt to get
clarification on issues when it would not otherwise have been possible, and
it helped me stay awake and focused in the meetings. Consequently, I was
able to make a much bigger and more important contribution to the overall
project than I would have otherwise.
Following the meeting in which he told me to take the minutes all the time,
one of my female co-workers said she was insulted, because she believed he
was treating me like a secretary. I hadn't seen it that way, but I
remained alert for signs of that. Sure enough, within a few days he came
to me and wanted me to arrange a meeting, find out meeting room
availability, notify participants, etc. I just said, "I'm not your
secretary." And he said, "Oh, right. Guess I better do this myself." And
that was that.
Perhaps if these meetings were the only chance I had to get info from
subject matter experts, it would be a problem, but that isn't the case.
==========================
Obligatory quote:
"Stress is when you wake up screaming and you realize you haven't fallen
asleep yet"
--forwarded by George Mena,
original source unknown
Linda Castellani
Technical Writer
GRIC Communications, Inc.
1421 McCarthy Blvd.
Milpitas, CA 95035
