You may not realize this, but the notebook you are bringing into your meetings tells everyone these two things:
1) How important you are in the company (e.g. your rank in the food chain)
2) What kind of personality you have
You'd be surprised. Before you dismiss what seems like shallowness, let me explain.
My old b-school economics professor made a profound statement one day in class. He said that back in the 60's, people in the workplace were more direct - they told you what was REALLY on their mind. This was long before people became super litigious, and there was a lawsuit for every action under the sun at the office. It was back then that a boss could pull aside a subordinate, and directly quip, "Hey, you're dressed like shit, go home and change. And brush up on your public speaking, ok? That presentation was horrible." Now somewhere mixed up in the caustic language was a set of amicably good intentions and a genuine sense of watching out for their colleagues.
Nowadays, these good intentions are out the window.
Gone are the days when a coworker can be direct with someone without fear of a lawsuit - and constructive criticism happens at best in 1:1 meetings behind closed doors, or the boilerplate annual review. Even then, language is tempered and real points have to be sensed "through the ether," as my old prof would say. These days, workers are silently censored in the name of professionalism and decency. As a consequence, books about "emotional intelligence" or EQ are all modern excuses for guides to navigate this mysterious "ethosphere" where the real thoughts, opinions, and key points reside. It's in this place that decisions about promotions, demotions, layoffs, or even significant capital projects are made. You'd be surprised how much "shooting from the hip" happens in the absence of hard, solid facts. Most of the times, it's difficult to get these facts - and sometimes even illegal. But here we are, in today's modern workforce, and managers at all levels are forced to let their primitive brains feel through their careers.
So today, I want to talk about one key item that is so underwhelming, so overlooked, yet has such a big impact on the primitive brains around us. It's the simplest thing, yet we often don't put much thought into it.
It's the pen & paper notebook you bring into every meeting.
Now, you may think that in our digital age - who carries around paper notebooks? Well, if you're talking about productivity and having a working session, sure, computers are the way to go. However, I'm talking about the vast swath of in-person meetings where there are obvious reasons for a group of people to come together, take time out of their day, and have a verbal and physical interaction with each other.
It's in these meetings that you want to be present and engaged. But even more than this, the items you bring into the meeting say a great deal about you and your intentions. It's more than just a fashion statement - it's communicating in a very subtle way that you are here to do business. Moreover, writing things down does a few things for you: 1) it commits important information to your brain (way better than typing it does), 2) the act of writing something down in front of someone conveys to your audience that you value their information so much that you need to physically write it down, and 3) you show respect for their time by ensuring that you're paying attention instead of having your eyes glued to a glowing screen.
As one climbs the echelons of corporate life, one may notice a peculiar thing about these notebooks. For one, the more executive one becomes, the less digital hardware they need to carry around. Do you see any CEO's lugging laptops into meeting rooms? As one advances in their career, the computers, tablets, and other accessories get smaller and smaller, and the notebook is all you've got left. After all, leave it to the analysts and secretaries to take the notes for you. Your assets are your presence, your brain, and your notebook.
The notebook's size is also important. A good rule of thumb is a 5" X 8.5" clean leather notebook with ruled or unruled paper. Any larger and you risk becoming perceived as a junior level employee, any smaller and you may not be able to take any effective notes.
Also keep in mind the style of notebook is important as well. Find a notebook that may convey your personality without seeming too flashy. It is a very subtle effect you are portraying upon your meeting audience. Some people will opt for a colorful notebook or one with a theme, but I would recommend against that to be on the conservative side.
It's the small things at the end of the day that matter. As in marketing, you must know that you are your own brand. Whether you know it or not, you make people feel a certain way simply by your presence. In a professional setting, the notebook adds to your ensemble to help control how you want others to feel about you.
These are, after all, things no one will ever tell you.
Before you dismiss the importance of the right notebook, look around you the next time you're in a meeting and give it a try.