Saturday, April 10, 2010

Picking Your Battles

Whether you are a freelancer interviewing a source or taking notes for your association's meetings, there is one rule you should never forget: Don't write everything.

You'll just frustrate yourself and you won't get the essence of the interview/meeting. Relax and listen to the conversation. And ask questions at the moment. If you don't understand or you think there is a missing piece to what the person is saying, it's best to get clarification right away. Otherwise, you will probably forget to ask.

It helps to have your own shorthand system. "Y" for you. "y're" for You're. "r.e." for real estate. Think of shorthand for the topics that will be addressed. If you are taking minutes, and the treasurer's report comes up, how about the dollar sign? Or "T. rpt."

It takes time to develop your ear. But after the first couple of meetings or interviews with this technique, it will come more naturally.

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