[smu]

OP mentioned he's in a business owner role. He's probably talking to customers often, possibly scoping projects or features.

In these cases, having notes will prevent scope creep and will be necessary to have customers accept the work. Customers will forget what was discussed and what was agreed to. They will want to add that "one last thing" just when you're expecting to close the project.

Even in different roles (or internally), I think many would benefit from writing down meeting notes because it anchors the discussion and creates shared understanding. Voice only will cause many to forget specifics or move the goal.

I don't think OP is in favor of writing a book for every meeting. Having notes / documentation will make you more effective. It will also lower the frequency of you and the other party having different expectations. It's a good habit to have for these reasons and the many others outlined in this thread.

[ghaff]

When I was a consultant/analyst, we had a few otherwise wonderful clients who were also masters of expanding the scope of projects if you let them. This, more than anything else, taught me the value of clearly documenting deliverables and milestones. That's not to say we couldn't make adjustments if needed but doing so needed to be done as a formal mutually agreed-to process.