The Note Taker

I found myself in a difficult situation!

My new supervisor Sally Hertzberg requested that I become the note-taker for the newly formed Y2K meetings she would be leading. The problem was, I had no prior experience in taking meeting notes. My note-taking skills were limited to my college days!

For those unfamiliar with it, “Y2K” was the abbreviation used to refer to the year 2000. It was commonly associated with a computer programming issue that was expected to cause significant chaos as the new millennium began, transitioning from 1999 to 2000.

Sally was exceptionally harsh towards me, leading me to mentally dub her as Cruella de Vil, the villainous character from Disney’s movie 101 Dalmatians.

Sally held a position of power within our government agency.

Upon reviewing my resume, Sally questioned how I managed to obtain prestigious job titles without a college degree or relevant experience. She believed that being a supervisor, a telecommunications specialist, and a network team leader required a college degree. In her eyes, one should have possessed such qualifications to hold those positions.

Fortunately, there were individuals who supported my career advancement and ensured I received extensive training at the U.S. Department of Prominence’s offsite training institute.

It was evident that Sally did not like me. She made subtle comments that made her feelings clear. I lived in fear of her, constantly walking on eggshells around the office. She even gave me disdainful looks.

Unbeknownst to her, I was actively seeking a reassignment to another office, just to distance myself from her.

One day, Sally and I relocated to a new office suite. I was surprised when Sally assigned me to an office with a window instead of the receptionist's desk.

Once settled in our new space, Sally informed me that I would be responsible for taking meeting notes during the Y2K Meetings. My heart sank at her command. I immediately became anxious, as I had never received formal training in note-taking. Unfortunately, the department’s training institute did not offer a course on the subject.

To educate myself, I resorted to Googling everything about taking notes at meetings.

I even contemplated using a hidden tape recorder to capture the discussions during the meetings. However, due to the sensitive nature of the discussions, recording the meetings was not an option.

My first, second, third, and fourth attempts at summarizing the meetings were disastrous! Sally scolded me each time, and I grew to despise her for her condescending tone.

I returned home feeling dejected, pouring my heart out to my girlfriends, my mother, and my beloved late aunt. I drifted off to sleep with tears in my eyes, my emotions carrying me into a restless slumber.

The next day, an idea struck me!

After each meeting, I emailed the attendees, requesting their input on the key topics discussed, actions to be taken, and decisions made. To my surprise, everyone responded promptly.

Once I compiled all the information, I emailed Sally the meeting notes for that day.

Within minutes of sending the notes, Sally summoned me to her office. My heart raced with fear as I walked towards Cruella de Vil’s lair.

To my astonishment, Sally was pleased with my notes!

She inquired about how I managed to capture accurate information this time. I explained that I had asked the meeting attendees to provide me with a summary of their action items and decisions made during the meeting.

Sally responded, “Great work, Dana.”

I thanked her for the compliment.

As the year 2000 arrived, the Y2K Meetings came to an end. Sally was promoted to another position and replaced by a male supervisor.

I felt an overwhelming sense of joy knowing that Cruella de Vil, Sally was no longer my boss!

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(Copyright Dana Esposito. All rights reserved.)