If you think back to your first week on the job, your outlook calendar started getting filled with meetings. The invites looked interesting and the attendee list impressive. But after a few of the meetings, a pattern emerged. The attendees were often some of the same people recycled from one meeting to the next. The other thing you may have noticed is how many people showed up with their laptops, iPads and smartphones in hand. So much is going on here that everyone must be really busy and you are sure glad they hired you because obviously they need the help!
So are they really that busy? What are all devices doing in meetings when you are there to resolve issues? Is technology getting in the way of your business? Here are some technology commandments to be posted in every meeting room.
- There is absolutely no reason to bring a laptop or iPad device to a meeting (unless you are designated to take minutes).
- No cell phone should ring, buzz, chime or ding (sing or dance for that matter) during the meeting.
- In the event a cell creates a noise that requires your attention (you are on call), you MUST remove yourself from the meeting in order to interact with the device.
These are all simple rules. Think back at every meeting that you have attended and had to listen to the clatter of laptop keyboards. How many times have you been in the middle of a discussion and half the room is looking at their cell phone?
This is really about our new smartphone addiction and communication skills. When was the last time you forgot your smartphone at home? How far have you back tracked to go get your smartphone because you had left it at home? The fact is that we have all become addicted to technology devices. Do you think addiction is too strong of a word? Think about this:
- Psychological Addiction. Smoking has a chemical addiction component and a psychological addiction (the actual ritual of using a cigarette and manipulating it).
- Reward system. Our stress levels increase as the work load increases. We often feel better when we check email or text messages and receive updates on issues on a recurring basis. So it’s no surprise that people take their laptops or smartphones on vacation and pay premium Wi-Fi access fees to keep abreast of work related issues. This gives them the illusion of stress reduction. When in reality they are not able to relax during the vacation because they are often thinking about when they will have their next opportunity for an email fix, I mean update.
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If this sounds silly to you, why do you think there are so many electronic devices at meetings? If your meeting attendee was that engaged in a crisis; what are they doing at a routine meeting?
We are now just as connected to our families as our work. Watching an old TV show on YouTube they showed a commercial for long distance telephone service, offering reduced rates after 10pm. It made me laugh because now we just take unlimited access for granted. This same unlimited easy-access seems to apply 24/7 regardless of your meeting requirements. It’s not about multi-tasking, it’s about attention deficit.
Date: March 23, 2016