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Many people believe that what is important is getting stuff done, not social status grooming with shows of allegiance in meetings. Is there any practical reaso

by tamana 10y ago

Many people believe that what is important is getting stuff done, not social status grooming with shows of allegiance in meetings. Is there any practical reason, that makes texting rude, discourteous, and unprofessional, besides that it unflatters someone's ego?

Whitestrake 10y ago
I'd like to draw a distinction here between unflattering someone's ego and being disrespectful to that person. I, personally, don't think I'd be affected by "unflattering". In many circumstances, though, noodling around on a laptop in a meeting is communicating to the presenter that their presentation is unworthy of your time or attention - that is to say, you are disrespecting the presenter. I think it's a moving scale, though, dependent on the importance of the subject of the meeting and the relationship of the attendees. In a casual meeting between friends, with low-importance subject matter, I would consider undivided attention unnecessary (and therefore exceptionally respectful if given). In a business environment, where the subject is business related, I would consider it necessary (and therefore the opposite is exceptionally disrespectful).
zeveb 10y ago
> Many people believe that what is important is getting stuff done, not social status grooming with shows of allegiance in meetings. It's not about shows of allegiance: it's about being present for your fellow-participants. > Is there any practical reason, that makes texting rude, discourteous, and unprofessional, besides that it unflatters someone's ego? Human beings can't multitask: every second you're texting is a second of meeting content you're missing. It is rude, because it says to those speaking, 'what you are saying is not as important as what I am reading or typing.' It is discourteous, because it wastes their time. It is unprofessional, because a professional would do others the politeness of turning down the meeting if he doesn't believe his presence is needed, rather than attending and ignoring.

by tamana 10y ago

Whitestrake 10y ago

I'd like to draw a distinction here between unflattering someone's ego and being disrespectful to that person. I, personally, don't think I'd be affected by "unflattering". In many circumstances, though, noodling around on a laptop in a meeting is communicating to the presenter that their presentation is unworthy of your time or attention - that is to say, you are disrespecting the presenter. I think it's a moving scale, though, dependent on the importance of the subject of the meeting and the relationship of the attendees. In a casual meeting between friends, with low-importance subject matter, I would consider undivided attention unnecessary (and therefore exceptionally respectful if given). In a business environment, where the subject is business related, I would consider it necessary (and therefore the opposite is exceptionally disrespectful).

zeveb 10y ago

> Many people believe that what is important is getting stuff done, not social status grooming with shows of allegiance in meetings. It's not about shows of allegiance: it's about being present for your fellow-participants. > Is there any practical reason, that makes texting rude, discourteous, and unprofessional, besides that it unflatters someone's ego? Human beings can't multitask: every second you're texting is a second of meeting content you're missing. It is rude, because it says to those speaking, 'what you are saying is not as important as what I am reading or typing.' It is discourteous, because it wastes their time. It is unprofessional, because a professional would do others the politeness of turning down the meeting if he doesn't believe his presence is needed, rather than attending and ignoring.