Amy BoughnerI was reading this book Fierce Conversations, which is supposed to be about achieving success at work and in life, but I’ve been really struggling to get through it, and I think today was the final straw.
There was a section about hosting a meeting, and it suggested starting off by asking everyone to put away laptops and phones – fair enough. But then asking people to put away any pens and paper so they could focus solely on what you’re saying.
You lost me, Susan Scott.
If I’m sitting in a meeting and I’m not allowed to write things down or doodle as I listen, then I’m sitting in a meeting getting stressed out about how I’m going to remember any of the points being made, what my own thoughts are and what to do with my hands. Taking away my tools is not a good way to get me to engage in a meeting.
In fact there is at least one study about exactly this. Even Presidents doodle. Doodling, in fact, may be a higher brain function.
I am no longer reading this book. I’m going to have to find another way to achieve success that lets me keep my pen and notebook on the table.
