It likely sounds familiar to you – the boss stops you in the hallway to discuss an important project. You scribble madly as she rolls-off a half-dozen action items.
Later, back at your desk you spend the next half hour trying to decipher what you wrote.
Taking quality notes can be what separates you from success because you are recording the present for future reference.
I’m happy to follow up with my boss when I haven’t understood or remembered fully the instructions I’ve been given – I’d rather get a reputation for being finicky than incompetent! It sounds counter-intuitive, I know, but in the long run it saves time if you get clarification of your tasks before starting on them.