The New and "Improved" Meetings

As I sat through an extremely boring lecture today, I glanced around the room and noticed several of my peers texting away on their Blackberries and cell phones. At first, I thought it was completely inappropriate and rude, and then I became jealous of their boldness because I wasn't doing it.

This begs the question, "is it rude to multitask during meetings and lectures, or is it a good use of a possible waste of time?"

Some places have chosen to ban texting during meetings. Others choose to ignore it or simply make a mental note of who is bold enough to do it in front of them. However, it isn't just texting that's become popular. I've seen people reading novels, drawing full-out portraits, playing tic-tac-toe, and even talking to others directly in the path of a speaker. If the person has an iPhone, the sky is the limit as far as what to choose to do instead of listening. Is this a sign of rudeness or the times? Personally, I think it's a little of both. I think some people are too rude to think about even remotely hiding their behavior, and it not only sends a message of distaste to the speaker but to the other people choosing to listen instead of doing the same thing. "Is that how your mother raised you?"

On the other end of the spectrum, I have been subjected to some speakers who were so insanely boring that doodling on a sheet of paper was the only reason I didn't fall asleep, which, I think, would have been much ruder. When it's proven over and OVER again that lecturing is the worst way to teach, you'd think that people would stop doing it. At least three times now, I've sat in lectures where the instructor presented this very fact. I was tempted to whip out my phone and start texting right there with the research to back up my choice.

So what's the answer? Do we ban texting? Would that work? Possibly. A better solution? Stop unnecessary meetings and lectures. Workplaces with e-mail should send out information for employees to read and assume they have read it. I know I'll take an e-mail over a meeting every single time...unless alcohol is being served. Workers will appreciate the extra time to get things done rather than sitting around eating stale "refreshments" and listening to someone reading the things on the handout in front of them.

As far as the lectures, end them. Once again, technology creates an opportunity. PowerPoints can be sent easily, and for classrooms, students can read them on their own at home and discuss the important points in class. For topics that involve lots of reading, create forums for people to respond to topics about the issues instead of ordering them to spend ten hours of their lives listening to, once again, someone reading handouts to them.

If you want people to stop being rude during meetings, attempt to end or avoid the meetings.