Episode Details

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Documentation isn’t just a system—it’s a daily habit that you can master.

When was the last time you actually enjoyed documenting a meeting or your thought process?  For most of us, documentation feels tedious and intimidating. Just the idea of making things “official” can stir up fear that it might one day be used against us. 

Fortunately, this week’s guest brings a fresh perspective on why documentation is worth embracing and mastering.

Today’s guest is Adrienne Bellehumeur. Adrienne is the owner of Risk Oversight, a consulting firm specializing in SOX, CSOX, internal control, and internal audit programs. She is also the author of The 24-Hour Rule—and Other Secrets for Smarter Organizations, which you can think of as the first “mass market” book on documentation best practices. She regularly speaks about documentation, workflow, and productivity best practices to professional groups and organizations of all sizes and industries.

In this episode, Adrienne breaks down the Big D vs. Little D concept, revealing why daily, individual habits matter more than fancy systems.

You’ll learn how simply processing meeting notes within 24 hours can save your team hours of frustration and rework.

We also explore practical strategies, such as using central repositories and establishing team-wide documentation standards. Additionally, we dive into the value of handwritten notes vs. digital tools, and how to avoid “Groundhog Day” meetings by writing things down.

If your team keeps having the same conversations or you’re buried in sticky notes, this episode is a must-listen.

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Conversation Topics

• (00:00) Introduction
• (01:47) Big D vs. little D: What you need to know about documentation
• (04:08) Common manager struggles with meeting notes
• (08:05) The 24-hour rule explained
• (12:23) How client audits benefit from quick documentation
• (18:03) How to capture and present a big chunk of information
• (22:25) Handwritten notes vs. digital tools: Which works better?
• (27:19) Keep up with Adrienne
• (28:18) [Extended Episode Only] How to effectively organize digital documents 
• (34:52) [Extended Episode Only] When to get feedback to avoid rewriting your draft

Additional Resources:

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- Read the full transcript here

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 Keep up with Adrienne Bellehumeur

- Follow Adrienne on LinkedIn here

- Get a copy of her book here

- Check out Risk Oversight