But just as some cultures value burps as an appreciative comment on the refreshments consumed, so has our culture started to change. Conferences welcome Twitter comments throughout the sessions to encourage dialog and engagement. Using a camera to take pictures of key slides or whiteboards shows interest rather than laziness in not taking notes. And some bosses now want you to demonstrate your willingness to listen with a laptop. In this rather in-your-face HBR blog posting, Alexandra Samuel berates a hypothetical (hopefully) staffer who comes into her office with a notepad and pen to take notes. She insists that only an electronic device will provide the level of efficiency required.
She makes a good point. While she is rather dismissive of those that prefer to write, it is incredibly useful to capture notes in a format that is easily stored, searched, and retrieved.
I am moving more and more to taking notes electronically, especially since an iPad has silent keys which don't provide background noise to conference calls. But I still have a stock of pads of paper and refillable pencils to use, particularly in thinking through issues. But perhaps these are now a matter of situation and preference, not of politeness?
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