How to Take Notes in Conference Calls
Conference calls can be your friend or enemy in the business world. Many are grueling, requiring you to be quick on your feet to come up with a smart answer. If you are acquiring many facts during the conference calls--yet can't focus on grasping all the information in the moment as you prepare your responses and presentation--taking notes for later review is a must.
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Instructions
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Plan for taking notes. Get yourself a small notebook and a pen. It will make the note-taking less intrusive, especially if it's a televised conference call as many are becoming. You want to appear focused and in the moment, even if you are scrambling to save the information on paper for later reference.
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Record your own responses to things mentioned in your notes. This is important when later looking over how a decision was made, or how the two of you came to a conclusion. If it's about a marketing idea, remember that it was ultimately your words that set the tone for a campaign. Notes aren't only for the words of others.
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Learn (and use) shorthand. Shorthand is simply an abbreviated way of taking notes using special symbols. Once a must for secretaries, it's an easy and convenient way to capture information with the less effort (see Resources below).
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Ask for the speaker to repeat crucial information when you get behind in your notes. Sometimes, simply hearing something twice will help it stick in your memory. This is a step that you want to use sparingly, as you will irritate people if you ask for too many repeats; but two within a call is perfectly acceptable.
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Organize your notes, even if the speaker's pattern of speech is discombobulated. Even if he goes back and forth from topic to topic, you can create lists for certain subjects and keep the basics of a subject contained to its own area. This is sometimes a must to make sense of people who don't have all that much public speaking experience.
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Get creative. Devices like the iPhone and other smart phones can double as a tape recorder. Ask the speaker if it's all right to record the conference call for later reference. You want to weigh this against the gravity of the conference call, the participants involved and how approachable your superiors are at the company. If motivation is questioned, be honest about your desire for completely accurate note-taking for later reference. More likely than not, the request will be respected.
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Tips & Warnings
Don't be afraid to ask your boss if there is a way to record conference calls for later reference if you are being briefed on a lot of information.
