ajcjobs > BlogBreak > Archives > 2006 > April > 06 > Entry
The Multitasking Meeting - myth or reality?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
We all know that meetings can be an annoying necessity in many organizations.
One trend that seems to have taken hold is the use of handheld devices (Blackberries, Treos, etc., etc.) during meetings.
People check emails as issues are debated and committee reports are presented.
It is not uncommon to find team members passing email ‘notes’ in the meeting itself.
I wonder how much we can focus on the present when our minds are tuned in elsewhere.
I know that when on conference calls, I often do non taxing work on my computer.
Is this any different than when face to face with colleagues? Is it disrespectful to multitask?
Do you have any written or unwritten ground rules in your meetings to manage the use of devices?
Should this be a personal choice? What is the expectation of management regarding multitasking in meetings?
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Ken
April 6, 2006 10:22 AM | Link to this
OMG, my boss is so rude, always checking his blackberry during meetings. It’s really embarassing because you know he isn’t focusing on the task at hand. Then asks a multitude of questions later!
I really want to say something to him but don’t want to get the can!
By john
April 6, 2006 11:11 AM | Link to this
Interesting question. My attention, and of course my vulnerability to getting involved in other activities (other emails, correspondence, house-cleaning, taking the dog for a walk, leaving town for a brief time, napping) is directly related to the attractiveness of the topic and/or the conversation. Keep ‘em interesting and most people stay focused.
By Mike
April 6, 2006 11:11 AM | Link to this
Jennifer, I find that when I take my laptop into a meeting (I’m not proficient enough with my Treo), I do start to do other work. I also find that I’m more likely to have to ask someone to repeat something, and less likely to be really considering what’s discussed.
I’ve taken to leaving the laptop out of the meeting entirely these days (taking notes on paper), unless an emergency explicitly demands that I be readily available. I hate interminable and pointless meetings, so I try to do my part and stay focused on the task at hand.
I’m excited about this blog! Congratulations and thanks!
By
April 6, 2006 11:13 AM | Link to this
As director of a small business in Metro Atlanta, I tell all new employees the same thing. They have to come to meetings with 100% focus on the topic. Cell phone or PDA’s use is not acceptable and staff will be asked to leave the meeting if they cause a disturbance. This is a bit harsh but it’s a good business practice.
By KDC
April 6, 2006 02:15 PM | Link to this
In my opinion, there are few things as disrespectful in a meeting as typing on a Blackberry or laptop while other people are talking. It doesn’t matter how bored or uninterested you are in the subject being discussed. If you choose to attend the meeting, it is now your professional responsibility to sit there politely and listen to the speaker…or at least pretend you are paying attention. Is doing so a waste of your time? Perhaps. But if you have something of a higher priority to attend to, proper etiquette should dictate that you excuse yourself from the meeting and move along. Managers who engage in or tolerate this behavior in meetings are setting a poor example for their staff.
By Kathryn Troutman
April 6, 2006 02:30 PM | Link to this
I’m a trainer and I teach people how to find new jobs in a computer room with fast connections. The way I control their email checking and general surfing, is to keep them engaged, active and moving. They have trouble checking and responding emails in my class when they are assigned internet search topics and they are kept busy. Being bored is the worst. And then when I get tired of entertaining them, I move them another room without computers, so we can all have a break. I know it’s a problem, so I keep the class awake with activity, action and their eyes UP. So far, it works. The leader of the meeting or class can control this — they have to factor this into their agenda.
By Bored but alert
April 6, 2006 03:08 PM | Link to this
When you are in a meeting — whether by force or by choice — your responsibility is to be respectful to whoever is speaking (even if you disagree or don’t care) by listening … or at least pretending to. Plus, you ought to be focused on whatever is the point of the meeting — to make sure something actually is accomplished or resolved and you haven’t just flushed away countless irretrievable minutes of your life.
If I’m saying something in a meeting, I obviously think it’s worthwhile for other people to hear it. And if you’re playing with your electronic gadgets, you can expect a glare from me. I’m probably not having the time of my life in the meeting, either, and I bet there are other places I’d rather be and other people I’d rather talk to. But I have the courtesy to respect the other folks in the meeting. If I have to pay attention, so should everyone else! :-)
By HR Manager
April 7, 2006 09:43 AM | Link to this
I believe that an agenda with goals, expectations, and anticipated outcomes need to be communicated upfront from the meeting facilitator (or in my case the CEO). My CEO does an excellent job of sticking to the agenda and ‘calling out’ team members whom are not paying attention or focusing on their email, blackberries, etc. We are a small management team and are stretched very thin. With this said, she understands that on occasion team members need to check their email, messages, etc. Therefore she gives us mini breaks in between topics to attend to any external concerns. This structure works well for us. Our meetings are typically held every 2-3 weeks 9am - 1pm.
By Big Boss
April 7, 2006 11:27 AM | Link to this
I have to say that I am one of ‘those’ blackberry users. I can’t put it down and it never stops beeping. I like for clients and staff alike to be able to contact me at all times. You never know if not responding to an email could bring your business crashing down.