Cell Phone Etiquette

A Linked-In post, "Why Successful People Never Bring Smartphones Into Meetings," shared the results of a nationwide survey of full-time professionals conducted by USC's Marshall School of Business:

• 86% think it’s inappropriate to answer phone calls during meetings
• 84% think it’s inappropriate to write texts or emails during meetings
• 66% think it’s inappropriate to write texts or emails even during lunches offsite

The researchers found that the reasons people think cell phone use in meetings is inappropriate because it shows a...

• Lack of respect. You consider the information on your phone to be more important than the conversation at hand, and you view people outside of the meeting to be more important than those sitting right in front of you.
• Lack of attention. You are unable to stay focused on one thing at a time.
• Lack of listening. You aren’t practicing active listening, so no one around you feels heard.
• Lack of power. You are like a modern-day Pavlovian dog who responds to the whims of others through the buzz of your phone.
• Lack of self-awareness. You don't understand how ridiculous your behavior looks to other people.
• Lack of social awareness. You don't understand how your behavior affects those around you.

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