Swapped my debate notes for sticky flags and got better talks

For two years I ran our monthly discussions by writing pages of my own observations, then I tried using just 6 colored sticky flags to mark passages I hated or loved. The change happened last May when I realized my notes made me talk at people, but the flags made me shut up and let the author's words start the fight. Anyone else find that less prep actually opens up more honest debate, or does that just sound lazy?

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the_tara24d ago

Did you find it hard at first to trust the flags over your own notes? I used to prep for our book club by writing out pages of talking points, and I thought that made me look serious. Then I tried the flag method one month out of pure laziness, and it changed my mind. The author's words do the heavy lifting, and I finally listen to what other people have to say instead of waiting for my turn to talk. Now I bring maybe three flags to a meeting and we get deeper into the messy parts of the text. It feels less like a performance and more like actually figuring things out together.