Why am I always asked to be note taker? 🤨
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You must be great at it duh
No one else ever gets asked. Always me. Every time
Additionally, my general rule for meetings is that everyone should be taking their own notes. It makes everyone responsible and allows for people to cross-check for anything that might have been missed. It also makes you more of an accountable listener instead of someone that could easily “phase in and out” of the conversation
Agreed but so far expectation hasn’t been set for individual notes. Whoever gets pegged for it (usually me), takes it on
Are you a woman?
You answered your own question. Your management has recognized something you're really good at and are leveraging that.
You'll find that this is normal in the professional world. If you're good at your job, you'll be asked to do more and pick up the slack for people that aren't. And no, it's not fair.
I deliberately suck at it so I don’t have to do it. My attention span isn’t my strength.
So if I suck at it no one will ask me to do? Lol
Are you the most junior? Most thorough? Any differences between you and the peers on the team?
No there’s one Associate, few other Seniors. I may be most thorough though
This is the type of thing that once it’s solidified it’s hard to break (i.e. you train people how to treat you), and unfortunately it’s a task often given to women disproportionately. One way to try to shift this is to ask for a different role in the conversation (I.e leading a section or the conversation as a whole) that would require you to be more engaged and not able to take notes. By doing so, you can start to transition that task to other on a more regular basis
Next time send out a version of notes omitting a few items and see the reaction.
Haha and coming from a manager
My rule is the most junior person takes notes. Most people will choose a female though because they are a*holes.
Quickest way to learn. Once you start presenting then you can delegate notes to whomever.
Why does it bother you? Is it not a learning opportunity for you?
If it’s really a big deal to you, you can have a conversation with the individual that’s assigning it to you - I’d ask them to rotate that responsibility. You can do this in a by-the-way type of conversation so you don’t come across as trying to not be a team player. You should come up with a good why if you’re asked.
It is a great learning opportunity and I appreciate it but if it’s a good learning opportunity for me then why aren’t other people given that same opportunity so they can also learn the same way I am? I’m not the only new person
I think female consultants are more competent.
Because you’re a woman
Suggest a rotation. You can take notes during certain meetings and your (junior) colleagues (both m and f) should take turns, as well.
Because I take good notes? Or I’m team’s bitch
I try to give the impression that I reallly really hate it. Then people stop asking me because they don't want unpleasant me tapping away in furiously on my laptop.
There was someone else on this thread who had done something similar to that I think and they said something about it backfiring or having some kind of negative affect so I’m afraid especially being a new person if I communicate that I have not as much interest in it or would prefer that the opportunity be shared among other team members that I fear that I would go down a negative path that I really don’t want to do. So I feel like the only solution is to just put up with it and just except that I will only be the note taker every time
I get this. I always got asked to take notes because my notes are usually the best. I didnt mind bc I wanted to understand the situation accurately but it’s really hard to swallow when you’re supposed to be leading teams and you always end up with the task bc other consultants and analysts are slacking and want to get away with it. Some managers understand others don’t. I just stopped working with those don’t understand bc once I complained a lower level person told me to take notes and I got a bad rap on my team for not being willing to take notes. I found myself getting resentful others were riding off of my skills and usually got dinged bc client automatically thinks I’m the lowest ranking person in the room, etc. I am a mgr now and I have been to roll people off my teams who intentionally slack at taking notes. I don’t need slackers.
I definitely think it’s sexist if there’s any consideration the fact that I am a female and I am asked to do it because I am a female. I am not the most junior person and I am also not the newest member of the team, there are other new people just as new as me and they don’t get the opportunity to ever do this task so I don’t understand why it’s always left for me. There is a great chance that because I have demonstrated my organizational skills and ability to effectively write concisely and clearly note takeaways. Likely it’s that they feel comfortable with me doing it, but it’s just unfair that I’m always having to do it and I never catch a break from it