Surprisingly (at least to me) lopsided results so far in a WSJ survey of people’s feelings wrt checking email during business meetings:
This strikes me as unrealistic and “do what I say, not what I do”, but I’m curious what people think. Granted, perpetual in-meeting emailing is bad, but discrete checking once in a while is fine. Further, I have no problems with using laptops for taking in-meeting notes and the like, and I do it all the time. I’ve completely given up on trying to make/read handwritten notes.
Related posts:
as an old boss of mine used to say: “there is no such thing as an urgent email. if it was urgent, you’d call me.”
exactly. if i give you a request for a meeting from 1 to 2 and you accept you can’t take another ‘meeting’ via email or phone. i don’t walk out of meetings i accept the go to other meetings. consequently no email or phones are allowed in meetings at our company. if you are expecting an important email or phone call then don’t accept my meeting request. you are busy.
Want to convey the message “you and your time are unimportant to me”? Then check your email during a meeting.
Checking your email during a meeting is necessarily a comment on the importance of the meeting. Just like glancing at your watch, only much more so.
So if you want to convey the message that “this meeting is unimportant/boring,” check your email. That’s what it says, it’s an insult to the current proceedings.
If you can do it under the cover of taking notes on your laptop/blackberry, that’s different–your deceit is tactful.
Nelson beats me to it, concise wins the race.
The survey asked about people’s *opinions* not whether they do it or not, so I think the results are realistic. I disagree with Paul, it’s NOT OK to check email.. but there’s another side of the coin, too…
It is loser behaviour, I agree with the comments, but I gotta predict that it is going to get worse, for I teach college kids who have laptops as part of their education. No matter what I point out about professional behaviour, manners, non-verbal communication, etc., they zone out on their computers in class. In the future, they are going to think it is just fine to play some video game in meetings and talking to clients.
All educational administrators would blame me, period. In the business situation, how does blame/responsibility shake out?
Maybe I should just fail them and when they rush to see me, not pay attention to them while I answer emails on my computer.
it reflects on the waste of time most meetings in most orgs are.
in my experience, collaboratively working on meeting notes (using writely, for instance) during the meeting speeds these meetings up and avoids the “what did we talk about / agree on again?” meeting recap. as part of that process, it is permissible to answer emails and IM as long as that person also contributes to the discussion and the notes (which is very easy to check as you see when others change the document)
I agree with Nelson’s assesment. It’s just bad form.
I would also suggest that by checking email during a meeting you hurt yourself in the process, as you give cause for others to form a negative opinion of you.
It’s not as bad as talking loudly about your hemorrhoid surgery on your bluetooth headset in the elevator, though….
–Chris
Reality check, guys. The world isn’t black and white, but rather shades of grey. Sometimes you need to take a call when you’re in a meeting. Sometimes you need to check email. That’s when you step out so you don’t disturb others.
Personally, I:
1) Set the Blackberry to vibrate, with a discrete tone that lets me know what it’s vibrating about — email, or a call.
2) Have my email server set to poll every 15 minutes, so the thing isn’t vibrating ceaselessly all meeting long.
3) And (shameless plug here) use my company’s product to manage those situations. I have most calls automatically rerouted to voice mail.
– Alec.
P.S. If you want to see iotum’s Presence application in action, click on this video link.
http://one.revver.com/watch/171939/flv/affiliate/67863
I agree with Gregor – most meetings ARE unimportant and a waste of time for at least half the people in them. If you think that an email from the CEO of the company or an important client is less important than your meeting then you are an egotistical ass. People checking their watch, reading email, or otherwise tuning out is a reflection on the leader of the meeting, not the individual. If what you have to say is important, people will listen.
To stevo – do you sit on your computer all day hitting “Send/Recieve” just in case an important email comes in? Is that what it means to be busy? Stuff happens, you don’t always expect it, and sometimes unexpected things need to be dealt with immediately. Can you imagine if the police station or fire department turned off their phones while they had their weekly staff meeting?
When
Tuesday, June 5, 2007 12:00 PM PST
Where
Microsoft Campus- MT View
Microsoft Building 1, 1065 La Avenida St
Mountain View, California 94043
United States
37.1894 -121.705
Map: Google | Yahoo | MapQuest
See other events at this venue
What
Following the success of the initial Launch: Silicon Valley event in November 2006, we are pleased to announce Launch Silicon Valley 2007 will be held on June 5, 2007, at the Microsoft Campus in Mountain View, CA. The event, co-presented by SVASE and Garage Technology Ventures, provides the next generation of emerging technology companies with the opportunity to pitch their products to, and network with, an audience of Silicon Valley’s top movers and shakers. The first Launch: Silicon Valley event featured 29 top startups, presenting their products and services to an audience of over 180 VCs, Angels, corporate business development executives, prospective customers and partners, bloggers and media.
Launch: Silicon Valley 2007 is designed to uncover and showcase products and services from the most exciting of the newest startups in information technology, mobility, security, digital media next generation internet, life sciences and clean energy. Launch: Silicon Valley 2007 will feature new companies that are ready for launch, but are not yet well known. These are companies that have a product or service available (as of June 5, 2007), but have not been out in the marketplace for more than a few months. Companies that are interested in presenting their products at Launch: Silicon Valley 2007 should send an Executive Summary of no more than 2 pages to Launchsv@svase.org by latest May 3, 2007