Reverse Transcription Fait Accompli

There is shock of seeing first-time your spontaneous remarks uttered in a random meeting later not only comprehensively appear on-screen, but then with horror amplified when taken as the indisputable thread of your thoughts on a matter. Compounded when realisation dawns such nascent or 'thinking aloud', but definitely private and privileged, comments then get spread far and wide.

I discover FT business life columnist Pilita Clark has been afflicted in this way. She finds that where once you'd be asked 'permission' for the recording of your (video) meet to take place, now it is blithely assumed.

'Just say no', the mantra held since.

Yet we may well be past that now.

Before I suggest a new route, it is worth re-iterating why those with whom we meet want to auto-capture what occurs.

It goes beyond the mere ingrained laziness where most (buyers and sellers alike) have long failed to make adequate notes, and if they did, accuracy and full attention can be debatable.

Many cry it is a vital record. Fully auditable. Which aids both parties come to mutually satisfactory outcome.

This, I feel, is at best a smokescreen.

Ms Clark seems to share this view. In the main, she believes that "the benefits of recording will struggle to outweigh the risks". With what's potentially around the corner even riskier.

People are prone to become more guarded, less spontaneous and indirect.

Which in a Sales situation, is the opposite of what is required.

In my own case, I know I not just have unique specialist know-how, but a way of framing, pursuing and solving issues that earns a worthy price-tag. It is my IP - one that an AI cannot replicate - yet through illicit transcription is liable to be peddled to who-knows-where as my thinking. When those words alone would never encompass let alone reap its true value.

After all, the price of such transcribing is effectively free. And when something costs zero, it will only give you zero return.

Yet the damage brings severe cost.

So it is no longer enough to wait to be asked for consent.

Sales builds on trust. So make that explicit.

I shall now be bringing this up as the meeting rubric gets established upfront.

"Let's confirm that this meeting is not being automatically recorded".

If someone pushes back, then ask for an email, to be sent in that moment, with assurance no such AI transcript is in train. Upon receipt of such email, the meeting may commence.

Stand for no messing.

Then trust works both ways. And you'll both be better for it.