Your head is for having ideas not holding them. So true. Keep everything that has your attention externalised for a real sense or relief and control. 😊
Seasoned PM here, you are spot on. I hated being the secretary. But to this day as a consultant, during meetings, pull out my notebook and use most of the techniques you mention. Translating long winded thoughts into a few key words is a real talent.
I chuckle whenever someone says all project managers do is tell people what to do because I work with software developers and I don't know anything about coding so I couldn't possibly tell them what to do. In reality I'm asking them what needs to be done and then I'm just following up to make sure they did the thing.
Yup, that sounds familiar! It's like me trying to tell a builder how to lay a brick wall... they've done it for 30 years, and I've been alive for only 23! Just trying to make sure it gets done in the right time in-line with other tasks!
Hey Taerik. Thank you for such an amazing insight into how just a subject understanding of your feild is not a bad thing in project management. Being an architect, I am at a crossroads where I strongly fear entering a the project management in the construction sector having little idea of it, while also applying for the masters course for the same due to the calling I feel for it. It goes without saying that it is due to this amazing video by James, of such a fundamental yet untaught skill of note taking which people are just somehow supposed to “develop” as they grow.. You’ve definitely earned my like and subscribe! I’m sure your channel will be the most useful tool as I now take on this challenge, confident as ever.
@@markjacob3914 Thank you for your encouraging words, they mean a lot! All the best with the next step in your career. I had never done project management before my placement in 2021, and had to learn on the job about how construction projects work. I did ask some silly questions, but for the most part, everyone working with me was kind and took the time to explain things to me when I didn't understand!
Great tips! I've got two additions that are good for project managers, but not necessarily for all note takers… 1. Before meetings begin you should start with an AGENDA! 2. At the end of a meeting you should have ACTION ITEMS!
Super helpful video! I'm not a project manager myself, but I have great appreciation for the value that they add. The first time I was part of a project that was being run by a PMP, it was game changing. It seemed so simple. They would identify a task (or "action item" for additional gravitas) and a target date, and then came the kicker. They'd ask, "Who is going to take that one?" while glancing around at all of us. That first time, the sound of crickets was deafening. (Yes, I was one of the crickets.) Fortunately, they didn't give up on us (nor did our managers) and stuff started getting done. Wow that was quite the ramble. Thanks for making that video and much success to you!
Thanks for these simple and useful tips! The comments section was gold too. Going to put these into practice and see what impact they will have on my work.
Meeting attendees talk so fast that I jot down the start of their statements (with name initials) and return back when the meeting slows down and add more info. to those abandoned statements. Immediately after the meeting I proofread, correct my scribbles, and flesh out the notes from my soon-to-be-lost short-term memory. Writing down the time and location of the meeting helps my recall later, too. Thanks for the practical instruction, James!
That's a great idea, Paul, I will have to try it! I agree that its definitely better to review and send out the notes as soon as possible before you forget anything!
I‘ve always a little smile on my face, when juniors enter the room with no notes at all. Going to be a brilliant meeting. They’re likely to forget everything soon
A seasoned Tech senior here (20+ years, corporations, mid-size companies, startups etc), I don't get your comment at all, some people have an incredible memory, and they don't need to show up with a notebook and pretend to be writing the entire meeting to try and look good, they just sit in the meeting, take notes in their head, get out of the room, implement, and deliver.
Hi David. I don't doubt that some people have good memories, I certainly wish I had that ability! I would guess the majority of people can't rely on memory though.
What I remember was that people in the meeting room always carried the previous minutes with them or multi-copied by the office secretary to be distributed. They would write over notes on pending or ongoing key issues and they would write new ones at the backside. But only one person would jot down all the relevant things people talked about in the meeting and that would be drafted and sent to those concerned for comments and finally for final issuance.
Great advice! Also, note the relationships between different topics that are interconnected as they come up throughout the meeting. I tend to draw a lot of arrows betweenbullet points.
Good to hear! Tbf I’m still settling into some new projects and being reminded of some of the stuff I talk about in this video. The key thing I have remembered is to really condense your notes into what the actual actions are. It’s too easy to write a lot of waffle and not be clear what actually needs to be done!
PM need also to take care of essential unrealistic expections like schedule plan or feature lists and communicate considerations early enough to adopt or create ideas in a written form getting a project done with reasonable/minimum results accepted by product/project owners. Early PM meetings are not the right time for estimating, calculating or communicating unrealistic schedule plans, but follow up meetings have to.
@@jdknightingale A better question is what isn't it! At its simplest, it's a text format similar to markdown. But extremely extensible and with a large number of helpful functions and keyboard shortcuts. It can also automatically export to things like html and LaTeX, so I planned and wrote my whole dissertation in it. It's built into the Emacs text editor, which is exactly the sort of text editor you could imagine me using.
Project Management 101 ... Manage Expectations. Many people misconstrue this as keep the lines of communication open, but that over generalization misses the key points the author pointed out. People make agreements on when things will be delivered and how. If you don't managed those processes and make sure that they meet everyone's expectations, your project will fail. No matter how large or small. .. Or, in short .. everyone has expectations on when and how something will be done. If you want to keep them happy, manage their expectations.
Something I do is write down questions. Let me explain. While in the meeting. Say someone is speaking and that prompted you with a question. Rather than ask as I have the thought I wrote it down. This does a few things. 1. Forces me to formulate it so I don't ramble when I ask. 2. There will be a questions or around the room at the end. Ask it then. 3. The question might get answered later in the meeting. At this point I can cross it off as asked. And I didnt derail the meeting, cause tangents, or waist time.
Don't be offended, you might be a good PM, but as someone with 20+ years in the tech industry I can say most PMs are redundant.. they take up office space, payroll, working hours when they schedule tons of useless meetings to make it looks like they actually have anything to do at all, sometimes they have good ideas but they have completely no idea about how the industry they work in function and how the implementation layers works, to simplify I 'd quote a PM that once said in a big meeting to the VP of software engineering two weeks before release date "this is like nothing... just remove this from here, and paint it on the other side, and instead of loading this, use that..." talking about modifying an entire component which will take months to do but the PM was so used to just create PowerPoint presentations and sketches in MS Paint by clicking objects, dragging and dropping them around the screen, that he had no idea what he was talking about.
Appreciate your opinion. My official role was Project Engineering Manager and I worked for my company where we were hired by food manufacturers to manage capital projects for them. I absolutely don't doubt that there are many redundant PMs, but from my experience, we were highly valued!
@@jdknightingale Maybe I was a bit misunderstood, not all PMs that I have worked with were useless. some of them were really good.. but many were not so
"project managers make lists and tell people what to do" "not true. Let me make a list to tell you what to do so that people don't think that's all you do"
Your head is for having ideas not holding them. So true. Keep everything that has your attention externalised for a real sense or relief and control. 😊
Indeed!
One of the best pieces of advice I was ever given: Write it down because you will forget it.
Seasoned PM here, you are spot on. I hated being the secretary. But to this day as a consultant, during meetings, pull out my notebook and use most of the techniques you mention. Translating long winded thoughts into a few key words is a real talent.
Thats good to hear! Are there any other tips you would give?
You can get consensus easily on what needs to be done. The majority of the meeting is spent getting someone to commit to doing it!
@@jdknightingale look up Neal Whitten.
I chuckle whenever someone says all project managers do is tell people what to do because I work with software developers and I don't know anything about coding so I couldn't possibly tell them what to do. In reality I'm asking them what needs to be done and then I'm just following up to make sure they did the thing.
Yup, that sounds familiar! It's like me trying to tell a builder how to lay a brick wall... they've done it for 30 years, and I've been alive for only 23! Just trying to make sure it gets done in the right time in-line with other tasks!
Hey Taerik. Thank you for such an amazing insight into how just a subject understanding of your feild is not a bad thing in project management. Being an architect, I am at a crossroads where I strongly fear entering a the project management in the construction sector having little idea of it, while also applying for the masters course for the same due to the calling I feel for it. It goes without saying that it is due to this amazing video by James, of such a fundamental yet untaught skill of note taking which people are just somehow supposed to “develop” as they grow.. You’ve definitely earned my like and subscribe! I’m sure your channel will be the most useful tool as I now take on this challenge, confident as ever.
@@markjacob3914 Thank you for your encouraging words, they mean a lot! All the best with the next step in your career. I had never done project management before my placement in 2021, and had to learn on the job about how construction projects work. I did ask some silly questions, but for the most part, everyone working with me was kind and took the time to explain things to me when I didn't understand!
Ditto
Congrats. You suddenly made the unimpressive even more unimpressive. Truly impressive. 😂
Great tips!
I've got two additions that are good for project managers, but not necessarily for all note takers…
1. Before meetings begin you should start with an AGENDA!
2. At the end of a meeting you should have ACTION ITEMS!
Hi Nic, yes very good tips! Too often meetings have no agenda and can go on and on without much direction!
100%!
Super helpful video! I'm not a project manager myself, but I have great appreciation for the value that they add. The first time I was part of a project that was being run by a PMP, it was game changing. It seemed so simple. They would identify a task (or "action item" for additional gravitas) and a target date, and then came the kicker. They'd ask, "Who is going to take that one?" while glancing around at all of us. That first time, the sound of crickets was deafening. (Yes, I was one of the crickets.) Fortunately, they didn't give up on us (nor did our managers) and stuff started getting done. Wow that was quite the ramble. Thanks for making that video and much success to you!
Thank you, I appreciate the ramble!
Thanks for these simple and useful tips! The comments section was gold too. Going to put these into practice and see what impact they will have on my work.
Glad to be of help! The comments helped me too. Would be interested to hear if you feel they make a difference.
Meeting attendees talk so fast that I jot down the start of their statements (with name initials) and return back when the meeting slows down and add more info. to those abandoned statements. Immediately after the meeting I proofread, correct my scribbles, and flesh out the notes from my soon-to-be-lost short-term memory. Writing down the time and location of the meeting helps my recall later, too. Thanks for the practical instruction, James!
That's a great idea, Paul, I will have to try it! I agree that its definitely better to review and send out the notes as soon as possible before you forget anything!
I‘ve always a little smile on my face, when juniors enter the room with no notes at all. Going to be a brilliant meeting.
They’re likely to forget everything soon
Haha, yes, I know I did that once or twice before I figured it out!
A seasoned Tech senior here (20+ years, corporations, mid-size companies, startups etc), I don't get your comment at all, some people have an incredible memory, and they don't need to show up with a notebook and pretend to be writing the entire meeting to try and look good, they just sit in the meeting, take notes in their head, get out of the room, implement, and deliver.
Hi David. I don't doubt that some people have good memories, I certainly wish I had that ability! I would guess the majority of people can't rely on memory though.
What a great video! From someone who is just starting their Project Management journey, thank you!
Thanks Dan! Much appreciated! If you have any other ideas that would help with you starting out, let me know!
What I remember was that people in the meeting room always carried the previous minutes with them or multi-copied by the office secretary to be distributed. They would write over notes on pending or ongoing key issues and they would write new ones at the backside. But only one person would jot down all the relevant things people talked about in the meeting and that would be drafted and sent to those concerned for comments and finally for final issuance.
I assume this was all handwritten? We did a very similar thing but with digital notes.
Thanks James... I'm new to a PM role and looking for all of the advice I can get.
That’s great. I’m still fairly new, but happy to help if you have questions!
I love the sentence: Your brain is for having ideas not for holding them. I'll put this on the wall :)
Yes, I love it too! Have to admit, I got that idea from Ali Abdaal, who probably got it from somewhere else! Good to share good ideas though!
Taking into notes only what’s neccesary saves load off time even when learning something new
Thanks very useful will use in my next meeting
Great to hear!
Great advice! Also, note the relationships between different topics that are interconnected as they come up throughout the meeting. I tend to draw a lot of arrows betweenbullet points.
Good point Bill! Thanks for that
Thanks, new to BA role. My PM is leaving and I am asked to lead meetings. This really helped
Good to hear! Tbf I’m still settling into some new projects and being reminded of some of the stuff I talk about in this video. The key thing I have remembered is to really condense your notes into what the actual actions are. It’s too easy to write a lot of waffle and not be clear what actually needs to be done!
PM need also to take care of essential unrealistic expections like schedule plan or feature lists and communicate considerations early enough to adopt or create ideas in a written form getting a project done with reasonable/minimum results accepted by product/project owners. Early PM meetings are not the right time for estimating, calculating or communicating unrealistic schedule plans, but follow up meetings have to.
All good stuff. I assume you are a PM. Any good advice for young PMs like me starting out?
@@jdknightingale Fake it till you make it!
Thanks mate. Appreciate your time. Good tips.
No problem, glad I could help!
This was helpful. Thanks!
Notes! well done👍
Thank you for making such a vid! Keep this up!
Thanks! Much appreciated!
This wàs very useful info
James you get a thumbs up from me!
Thank you Nadeem!😀
It's not a note-taking rabbit hole until you've learnt Emacs org-mode!
Whaaaat is that??
@@jdknightingale A better question is what isn't it!
At its simplest, it's a text format similar to markdown. But extremely extensible and with a large number of helpful functions and keyboard shortcuts. It can also automatically export to things like html and LaTeX, so I planned and wrote my whole dissertation in it.
It's built into the Emacs text editor, which is exactly the sort of text editor you could imagine me using.
I'd be very happy to show it off to you some time!
This is so unbelievably next level! I’m not sure my brain could handle it!
Thank you for the very neat tips ! So helpful
Thank you Chaimae! Much appreciated!
Project Management 101 ... Manage Expectations. Many people misconstrue this as keep the lines of communication open, but that over generalization misses the key points the author pointed out. People make agreements on when things will be delivered and how. If you don't managed those processes and make sure that they meet everyone's expectations, your project will fail. No matter how large or small. ..
Or, in short .. everyone has expectations on when and how something will be done. If you want to keep them happy, manage their expectations.
Good advice!
Your channel is really cool and the video is fun to watch,👍
Thank you, Yahia! Really appreciate that!
Good video
This is helpful, thanks
Glad it was helpful!
I call OneNote and my Notebook as my external brains.
That's basically what they are! Similar to what Tiago Forte talks about- www.youtube.com/@TiagoForte
Something I do is write down questions. Let me explain. While in the meeting. Say someone is speaking and that prompted you with a question. Rather than ask as I have the thought I wrote it down. This does a few things. 1. Forces me to formulate it so I don't ramble when I ask. 2. There will be a questions or around the room at the end. Ask it then. 3. The question might get answered later in the meeting. At this point I can cross it off as asked. And I didnt derail the meeting, cause tangents, or waist time.
Great ideas. Unfortunately I’d rather put a bullet in my face than become a project manager.
Haha, fair enough, it's not for everyone!
Great video 👍
Thank you!
thanks
Watching someone who can not touch type, try to take notes while they’re projected on a screen in the meeting, is excruciating
🤙🏾
Templates or visuals examples would be 100% more effective to explain things
it's "take", not "make"
Good point!
Don't be offended, you might be a good PM, but as someone with 20+ years in the tech industry I can say most PMs are redundant.. they take up office space, payroll, working hours when they schedule tons of useless meetings to make it looks like they actually have anything to do at all, sometimes they have good ideas but they have completely no idea about how the industry they work in function and how the implementation layers works, to simplify I 'd quote a PM that once said in a big meeting to the VP of software engineering two weeks before release date "this is like nothing... just remove this from here, and paint it on the other side, and instead of loading this, use that..." talking about modifying an entire component which will take months to do but the PM was so used to just create PowerPoint presentations and sketches in MS Paint by clicking objects, dragging and dropping them around the screen, that he had no idea what he was talking about.
Appreciate your opinion. My official role was Project Engineering Manager and I worked for my company where we were hired by food manufacturers to manage capital projects for them. I absolutely don't doubt that there are many redundant PMs, but from my experience, we were highly valued!
@@jdknightingale Maybe I was a bit misunderstood, not all PMs that I have worked with were useless. some of them were really good.. but many were not so
"project managers make lists and tell people what to do"
"not true. Let me make a list to tell you what to do so that people don't think that's all you do"
I am sorry, but your sound is not good
Agreed! I'm hoping I'm getting better with the audio. I plan to get some better gear in the future.
I think the voice sound is good, but the background music made my head hurt.
Loved the tips though 😊👍
Thanks Vivi, thats very helpful feedback!
RAMBLE RAMBLE RAMBLE WASTED MY TIME
I do ramble a bit😅