Have you perfected the art of checking your email during a meeting?
A recent survey of executives showed that 86% said that it is common for colleagues to read and respond to email during meetings.
86%! That figure is way too high. The disturbing thing is only 31% disapprove of the practice!
Why do the other 69% find acceptable or at least tolerable to check email during a meeting?
Presumably the meeting is important, or it would not warrant the face to face time. Why should it be acceptable to not give it the full attention it deserves? It’s inconsiderate to the meeting organizer and other participants, not to mention critical information might be missed.
Recently I was interviewed via telephone about the blog. Though it was a phone interview and the journalist couldn’t see me, I turned off my pocket PC so my entire focus was on the interview. Had there been some kind of emergency my assistant would’ve been notified and I would have been alerted.
AccountingWeb has an article here where they offer some tips if you must check your email during a meeting. The most important of which is to excuse yourself quietly from the room and check it outside.
Is it just me, or is this one of your pet peeves too? How many of your colleagues check email or their Crackberries during meetings?
