How Taking Notes by Hand Improves Conceptual Memory

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

Take a good look at this picture.  Although the leader of the meeting has a topic displayed, many of the attendees seem to be surfing for more ‘interesting’ material.  Having a BYOD (bring your own device) policy may seem modern, but it distracts and hampers your ability to remember what you are hearing.

We are all so bombarded by information every day and our brains are overloaded with short-term items.  You need techniques to move what you learn from short-term memory to long-term memory and be able to ‘locate’ that information when you need it.  This can’t happen without good gathering and storage habits! 

This short article will present some reasons why taking notes by hand (paper and writing implement) is an easy way to cement learnings for future recall from business meetings and classes. 

"Anything that creates active learning — generating understanding on your own — is very effective in retention. It basically means the learner needs to become more involved and more engaged, and less passive."[1]

Laptop Note-taking Research

A study[2] by Pam Mueller and Daniel Oppenheimer looked at the note-taking habits of college students from Princeton and UCLA. Students watched a 15-minute TED talk video, taking notes along the way. Researchers compared those who took notes by hand and those who took notes on a laptop and found that while the factual recall of knowledge was similar, the conceptual recall had a clear winner. 

Those who took notes by hand did significantly better on understanding concepts.

Beyond a better understanding of concepts, a no-laptop rule helps with focus and attention, and surprisingly improves handwriting (you must be able to decipher your notes for later). 

The graph below illustrates the difference in individual performance between those who took notes by hand and those who took notes on a laptop during classes and meetings.  Findings demonstrated that while factual recall of information is similar, conceptual recall is significantly better for those who take notes by hand (connecting ideas for better recall and retrieval from long-term memory).

The Pen is Mightier than the Keyboard

Your brain is continually upgrading what is stored in it by your everyday experiences as well as formal learning situations.  Handwriting helps you more deeply ‘encode’ what you are trying to learn because it gives you time to push the learning further into memory.

    Click on the pen: 

Handwriting Literally Rewires Your Brain by  

The Upgrade With Makai Allbert (9 min 47 sec)

How We Remember

Basically, there are two modes of thinking that result in the different ways memories are stored.    

·         Focused – when you concentrate on the topic at hand and eliminate as many distractions as possible – like cramming for an exam.  This mode activates superficial, short-term memory.  (Short-term memory is like a big bucket.  As it gets full, it spills out information.  This information is lost from memory.)

·         Diffused – a more relaxed style, a more neural-resting state.  During this mode, ideas travel along regular and familiar patterns and activate deep, long-term memory. (Long-term memory is like containers where information is stored more securely.  These memories are stored in ‘somewhat’ orderly ways for future retrieval.)

If you want to remember the things you are learning, you need to establish connections within your brain between focused (short-term) and diffused (long-term storage).  If not, the learnings evaporate out of the focused bucket.  

For a thought to stay put, those new thoughts need space to stretch out and ‘search broadly’ to make sensible and strong connections.  Taking notes by hand or a bit of momentary daydreaming or looking into the distance gives this short-term/ long-term memory process time to do just that.

One of the great lessons I learned from great leaders such as Ted Turner and Richard Branson was that you should never feel awkward take notes by hand while you are listening to someone.  Not only would it help remember what others said it also was a good way of letting others know you were truly listening.  Plus. later you can use those same nuggets of wisdom to strengthened your future.

Brain Exercising

In conclusion, your brain is somewhat like a muscle.  When you go to a class or into a business meeting, it is like going to the gym.  To remember best, you need to practice both sets (different types of exercises for the muscles – focused learning) and repetitions (diffused, relaxed learning) to increase strength of retrieval. 

Next article will feature note-taking methods that are easy and effective.

References

Books:

Copyright © 1995, DePorter, Bobbi, (with Hernacki, Mike), Quantum Learning, Unleash the Genius Within You, Judy Piatkus Publishers LTD, London

Copyright © 2014, Brown, Peter C with Roediger III, Henry L and McDaniel, Mark A., Make it Stick: The Science of Successful Learning,

Articles:

Halber, Deborah, ‘Making Memories’, BrainFacts.org, 27 September 2018: http://www.brainfacts.org/Thinking-Sensing-and-Behaving/Learning-and-Memory/2018/Making-Memories-092718 

Mueller, Pam A; Oppenheimer, Daniel M, ‘The Pen Is Mightier Than the Keyboard’, 23 April 2014, Sage Journals:  https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0956797614524581

Shen, Yifan, ‘Effective Tips on Taking Notes in Class’:  https://www.artofsmart.com.au/effective-tips-take-notes-class/

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[1] Roediger, Henry and McDaniel, Mark, Washington University research papers on learning and memory. 

[2] Lee, Kevan, ‘9 Science-Backed Methods for More Productive Meetings, FastCompany, 21 July 2014.

Return to a Gas War Mentality

I found this article today in one of my clipping services and it made me stop and consider a few things.  Yes, we all want to be smart with our funds, but this may be a bit of a wake-up call for all of us.

Click on the Morton Salt Box for the article:

I believe the name brands are (or were) a "seal" of quality and care. 

Recovering resources, making them safe, parcelling and packaging them takes time and money – therefore staff, operational infrastructure, health and safety, etc., all of which increase in cost as an organisation prospers. 

As a child, I remember the fun of finding the cheapest gasoline.  We would drive around for an hour and many times we would find a gas station on each of the four corners of a cross street, each offering gas at different prices.  This was where the expression “gas war” comes from.

If we all just buy products at the cheapest price, quality deteriorates.  Can you imagine how eventually this may result in a return to times when food and other products weren't safe> 

Branding was just that -- a mark that indicated a particular brand had high quality and purity standards, over others.  This used to be a differentiator that made a company number one amongst all competitors!

I would hope that has continued.  However, I fear the breaking point comes when brand based/ quality organisations feel they must start cutting out this or that, to ensure they can survive as cheap products flood the market and use as their only difference low cost. 

The trusted brand may begin to search for, and cut corners to meet the competition, their quality then plummets – all that is left is a gas war and the consumer is the loser in the end. 

Let’s not get too carried away with this idea!

Timeless Love

Doesn't it seem rather special to meet a couple nowadays where the individuals have chosen to stay together longer than a few years?   Do you ever notice older couples holding hands walking in a shop or going to an event who "seem" to still be in love?  I do, and it makes me feel all fluffy and happy inside.  

It reminds me of how I thought love was supposed to and would last forever.

I watched the emotional and acrimonious "relationship" my parents rumbled around in and always hoped for better.  Something more "Father Knows Best" or "Donna Reed" or even "Leave It To Beaver".  But we do not get what we wish for ... we get what we need as we are growing up, so we are better and stronger than we would have been if we had only gotten what we wished for.

 I was surprised, though, when I discovered that there was a huge love there between my parents.  It had drawn them together (well probably more like lust and convenience at first) and held them there supporting each other...even if sometimes reluctantly and resentfully.  

I know they both had unfulfilled dreams and unsatisfied desires, yet they managed the "to death do you part" bit for nearly 45 years when my Daddy passed away into Glory...the last day of the year in 1979.

Anyway, I thought this was rather poignant and thought-provoking for all of us to consider and maybe inspire us to turn to our spouses (and even sweet and special friends) and thank them for their faithfulness and loyalty.  It is a rare quality today. 

Four Things to Know About World Mental Health Day

October 10th is World Mental Health Day - a time to focus your attention on the growing problem of mental illness and its major effects in people's lives-- and the growing stresses facing employees serving customers in non-face-to-face roles.  

Did you realize it's estimated that one in every four adults will experience mental health difficulties at one time or another.  

Snapshotz Online's research with 1,700 organisations worldwide, points to one critical factor that could improve mental health within every customer contact centre.  Over three-quarters (78%) of senior executives and contact centre leaders are not fully aware of the physical and emotional impact of dealing with customers regularly.

Increase in self-service channels has amplified pressures for customer service employees.  Many customer, who can't or don't want to manage self-service channels call for help.  By the time they reach one of your customer service representatives their frustration level (and anger) may have reached a tipping point.

This compounds stress for those measured on quickly meeting customer satisfaction targets.  Over time, these difficult exchanges can affect employee self-esteem, decrease  productivity, increase lateness, illness and absenteeism.  Employees who do show up to work every day carry a heavier load of responsibilities and thus even more stress.  In the end, stress is a major factor in many mental health situations.

In the best centres we've audited, the way to break the cycle is involvement of senior staff. 

1.          They must be aware of the challenges.  In The Customer Response Management Handbook , the author recommends senior staff set aside a few hours regularly (if possible once a week) to listen in (ideally double jacking) to customer calls with some of the employees.  We have seen that this one change alone can make a huge difference with decision making throughout the organisation.

2.          There must be adequate budget set aside for a good wellness program.  One highly regarded group is Wellness First, in Australia/ NZ.  They have a great track record setting up practical and cost effective programs.  They specialise in customer service centres and cover basics such as resilience, eating well, drinking enough water, exercising, having a healthy social network, as a start. 

3.          Ensure team leaders and managers are taught to recognise the signs of physical and mental stress with customer service employees.

4.          Finally, encourage staff to feel comfortable and safe to ask for help when things seem overwhelming.

Work Health and Safety (WH&S) goes beyond ergonomics and lunch breaks.  Healthy employees are the greatest resource a business has.  The benefits of good physical and mental health include:

·         High levels of staff engagement (being on time and ready to work)

·         Increased energy and enthusiasm to resolve customer queries

·         Customers sense the positive attitude and customer satisfaction soars

·         Service levels increase

·         Products and services are delivered more accurately and timely

·         Better harmony with other internal departments

·         More frequently meeting performance, revenue and cost-cutting targets

Reach out to us if you would like to know more about this topic or if you would like to become part of the Snapshotz Online assessment, Snapshotz Remotability and Professional Certification Programs.  We are here to help you improve your work-life balance and the results from your customer service efforts.

Loss of Focus in the Shallows

Is the Internet another way our value of responsibility is slipping away?

More to come...

CDOs Ignore Customer Service at Their Own Peril

What is the value of marrying the customer service imperative with the mandate of the Chief Digital Officer?

Definition: 

Chief Digital Officer (CDO) is tasked with growing their organisation by converting traditional "analogue" business to digital using the anticipated potential of online technologies and data, including mobile applications, social media and related applications, virtual goods and "wild" web-based information management and marketing.

Customer Service Manager is tasked with providing customers (and potential customers) with the right information or product when they want it, at a price they are happy to pay, through the most convenient delivery channel or process and for THEM so they are willing to go through the experience again and will, without being incented or prodded, spread the good news about the quality and personal service they received.[1]

In a world where businesses are grasping for the next best gadget, fad or trend, it is important to keep grounded in the reality of what is, because as exciting as tomorrow sounds, it is today we must contend with.

More Channels Do Not Guarantee Satisfaction or Success

With the CDO has come more channels to sell and service the customer.  What has been sacrificed is customer stickiness, loyalty and advocacy. 

Today, as the customer wrestles with being forced to deal with digital channels, many of which are quickly built and ill conceived and typically without the customers' needs in mind, this is silently driving traffic into an organisation's customer service centres.

For any organisation who has customers, their support before, during and after an interchange is critical.  Nearly 59% of all customers are said to be "always ready to switch to a competitor for better customer service".  We've made it so easy too.  Almost 90% of customers have quit doing business with a company simply due to poor service.[2] 

Customer Service is Already Engaged

International Customer Management Institute (ICMI) research reported that nearly 86% of today's customer service centres are multi-channel and that around 74% of customers are having to use three or more channels to complete a customer service related issue. 

By the way, most (84%) prefer using the phone and 72%  want to speak with a person, not a machine.[3]  Here are some statistics from an infographic by Forrester Research regarding traffic into a multi-channel contact centres.  Phone support remains the most popular offering[4]:

Why the CDO Needs CS

Today, more than a billion consumers around the world have smartphones[5] and are increasingly turning to them to place and check orders, to schedule or change appointments, confirm reservations, find store locations, etc.[6] 

Four years ago, at a Gartner symposium, they reported technology spending outside of IT was 20 percent of total technology spending.  They estimated it would grow to almost 90 percent by the end of this decade.[7]  Much of the change is being driven by the digitization of companies’ revenue and their services, which is the purview of the Chief Digital Officer.

Willing but Frustrated

Although most customers are willing to try using alternate delivery channels when they don't work customers turn to the phone.  The result is that the Customer Service Manager and those who provide support to customers face increasingly frustrated callers. 

Many (perhaps most) Customer Service Centres have become default and unrecognised help desks.  The wise CDO makes every effort to keep communication channels open between their two teams.  When they do they will increase the success of their initiatives and the mission of the organisation by:

·        Keeping Customer Service in the loop when new technology is to be released

·        Being open to feedback from the Customer Service group

·        Giving customer-facing employees training about new channels and tools before they are rolled out

·        Customer Service can be a "sand box" for trying out or testing new channels before they are rolled out (as they KNOW the customers so well)

Mutually-Beneficial Payback

The pay back to the CDO comes from the wealth of customer feedback about products, services, channels, etc. and the word-of-mouth "research" that flows into customer service and sales centres and the ongoing support of their efforts. 

The payback for the Customer Service Manager comes when they and their teams are better prepared and aware of new customer channels before the fact and the satisfaction that comes from being included in the new channel strategy. 

Although the CDO may have to compete with IT, marketing and the supply chain for budget and cooperation.  The greatest success for the CDO can be realised by joining forces with Customer Service Manager. 

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[1] Customer Response Management Handbook, McGraw Hill, Darlene Richard, 2002

[2] Forrester, Enhancing the Retail Omnichannel Customer Experience, 2015

[3] Forrester, "Mobile is the New Face of Engagement, 2012

[4] Forrester, Infographic:  "Why Call Centres Won't Go Away", September 2015

[5] Fonolo, Top 10 Contact Centre Trends for 2015

[6] Harris Interactive, The High Demand for Customer Service via Text Messages, 2014

[7] Gartner Research:  Gartner Says Every Budget is Becoming an IT Budget, 22 October 2012, http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/2208015 

Elephant Love Story - Introduction

It was said I was the greatest elephant who ever lived, well at least my little girl thought so.  In 1940 New Your City she and I were unexpected stars in a nation-building circus in a land just crawling out of the Great Depression and the accompanying darkness.

From the moment we met I knew our friendship would be different than any friend I had ever imagined.  We had come through so much since leaving home in Europe when she was a newborn in her mother's arms and I was doing little insignificant tricks to help pay the family's way in the world.  Then I got an opportunity to travel to India and take training from one of the legendary Mahouts. 

Now as we both seemed to be aging, it was our memories we kept dear as we walked down the laneway, her hand on my side so familiar and comforting.  Like the day, when she was just about six human years old.  We sat side-by-side.  She had a tall stool and I my sturdy metal one.  I was in awe of her.  Truth be told I still am so in awe of her. 

That day she seemed so little.  Her eyes loved me! 

She reached over and patted my side.  I know had I not been so enormous compared to her, she would surely have hugged me round.  Tears formed in my eyes and I had to work hard to not let her see my sentimental side. 

Our friendship had lasted over half a century and still I could sense her every wish and thought.  I wondered often if our relationship, if I dare call it that, meant she abandoned hope of love in her own world.  Yet she always seemed happiest when we were together.  I do wish I was able to read her thoughts.