You call an employee in and assign him or her a project. The employee sits and listens attentively. The employee just listening, not taking notes.

You wonder about the note thing.

You were right to wonder.

You’re screwed.

The employee is going to do it wrong.

Unless you’re asking the employee to bring you black coffee (which used to be easy but isn’t anymore, and which is nearly impossible to get an employee to bring to you anyway because it’s demeaning or something), the employee is going to screw it up. The employee isn’t going to get the details right because he or she didn’t write it down.

I’ve tested this theory over and over, and the people who don’t take notes don’t get it right.

In fact, the idea of an employee coming in to see you without a note-taking device of some sort ought to cause you serious concern.

If you find yourself telling an employee to bring a notepad or whatever, you’re in trouble.

You might as well fire the employee right now. In the long run, and probably in the short run, it’s not going to work out.

Seriously.