I don't know what I know till I put it on paper.
Said a senior partner at one of the consulting firms that I worked with.
This wisdom has stayed with me and has aged well over the years.
I have huge respect for companies and people that promote a culture of writing.
Most consulting firms do it well. All consultants know how their thought process evolves and clarity of thought emerges as they put their ideas and analysis on a slide. How the meeting notes they take as a habit come in handy later.
Amazon has this culture of driving meetings, decisions and discussions based on a written memo.
One client I worked with had this thing called SOAP - Summary On A Page. People would create a SOAP for any new idea, proposal, decision, discussion, etc. They were hugely efficient at work.
Writing may seem like it's slowing you down but in reality it is speeding you up.
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Next time you have a problem try articulating it on paper.
If you have an idea, try putting it down on paper.
If you have a solution to something complex, try writing it down.
Watch in wonder as you see clarity emerging from complexity, loopholes in thinking being exposed, and your logic and reasoning becoming sharper.
Writing is a super-skill, more so in the era of ChatGPT.
#writing #productivity