Are Phones and Computers Necessary for Meetings?

It is not necessary to have a smartphone or a computer in the room unless it is the primary tool to present with or it is the topic of the meeting

Photo by Dylan Gillis on Unsplash

What is the purpose of a meeting? Let’s try to list out a few — not in any specific order of importance:

1. Meet face-to-face with the people that have a purpose related to the activity
2. To build trust and relationships
3. Share information
4. Educate and update status
5. Make and/or act on decisions
6. Brainstorm and develop solutions
7. Negotiate or ameliorate conflicts
8. Report or provide status on activities
9. Assign activities
10. And more…

However, there should not be a purpose for a meeting to have and to use phones or computers while in the meeting. Turn it off. Put them away. Focus.

The lynch mob is coming, I can feel it.

And no, I am not a Luddite.

Smartphones and computers should either be turned off or left behind at your working space. Do not bring them to meetings. Caveat — There are times when you are required to bring a computer such as when you are presenting. The data is not easily described or is too dense for a simple handout. Or maybe you are working on a design element of said smartphone or computer. Otherwise, you attendees — no electronic distractions. Zip. Nada! No.

Yes, we live in the 21st century. Yes, it is a digital world. But you need to engage with the meeting participants. You need to connect with the material that is being shared. You need to be present. The phone or computer is a distraction. IM. Email. Web searches. Distractions. They do not advance the meeting. They only take you away from the meeting.

Skype, Zoom, WebEx, GoToMeeting, Zoho, etc. meetings are even more challenging. Especially when there are too many participants to remain engaged. Different topic for a different day.

Photo by Matthew Brodeur on Unsplash

How many times have you been in a meeting and made a remark that required someone’s response, and that someone was nose down in their computer or phone? Not paying attention. Not listening. What is the response?

“I’m sorry, could you repeat the question?”

This is disrespectful to the people in the room and to the organization. It is wasteful and causes lost time and energy.

There is no such thing as multitasking. When you “multitask” you are not doing ANY of the tasks to its full measure. Your switching costs are destroying your effectiveness. I became aware of this most recently due to my own personal (forced) device ban. I was amazed at how engaged I was in the meetings. How focused I had become and aware of how pervasive these devices truly are.

Stop using the excuse, “I am taking notes.” No, you are not. Rarely does anyone take notes in meetings unless you force them to by naming them the scribe (notetaker). There is already someone (hopefully) assigned to be the official notetaker. Even then, using old-fashioned pencil and paper is more efficient and effective.

Even when you have not placed a ban on the machines and someone has brought theirs, this often distracts the people sitting next to the user. They are paying attention to that screen and not the presentation or conversation occurring. Moth to the flame.

What could we do to make our meetings more effective?

1. Shorter more effective meetings. Stop using the 1-hour default that your calendar populates for you when scheduling a meeting. Try 45 or 30-minute meetings. Use constraints to your advantage.
2. An agenda with a timetable and a timekeeper
3. Send the agenda BEFORE THE MEETING so people can prepare
4. A notetaker. This is someone other than the host. Take copious notes and when you return to your phone, take a photo and email to the team. No transcription needed
5. Invite the right people to the meeting. Focus on the people that are the necessary decision makers and the active parties. If you are invited to a meeting but you do not see the purpose of attending the meeting. DON’T GO. No FOMO allowed
6. Clarify with “What are we meeting for?” or “What is the goal we need to accomplish?”
7. Better and faster decisions. Because there are no distractions and people are engaged in the meeting, good decisions are made. Unintended consequences — this may be due to withdrawal from the electronic pacifier. Allows the 30-minute meeting to be realistic
8. Fewer interruptions and potentially greater productivity. No more vibrating hum of phones and everyone having a Pavlov-like reaction reaching for their phones to check. Mine? Yours? Where? Who?
9. Assignment of tasks — who does what by when. Accountability.

There are opportunities we can use technology, embracing these devices to help us be productive. Yet this needs to be limited and must be identified on the agenda. You will pre-wire someone that they will be required to provide additional data or support the presentation.

Photo by Kody Gautier on Unsplash

If you have significant resistance to the use of devices during a meeting, create the kitty. Allow the room to police itself. For every time someone uses their phone, $1 in the jar. The phone rings or a text pings, $1 in the jar. When you measure usage (offense) it quickly changes behavior.

Now you have some money to take the team to lunch.

Go forth and be brilliant.