FINANCE/ACCOUNTING CAREERS

Meeting Etiquette: Avoiding Gadget-Related Mistakes

You’re one hour into a meeting when your BlackBerry starts vibrating to let you know you have new e-mails. Should you check them now? According to a Robert Half International survey, the verdict is still out. Eighty-six percent of senior executives polled said it is common for professionals they work with to read and respond to e-mail messages during meetings. However, close to one-third disapprove of the practice.

There’s no denying that technological tools such as laptop computers, cell phones and PDAs have enabled finance and accounting professionals to perform their jobs with increased efficiency. Today, people can communicate quickly and easily from nearly any location.

But constant connectivity can take a toll if users don’t display proper etiquette. As you have likely noticed, many otherwise polite and refined professionals can lose all sense of courtesy when in possession of a portable electronic device. Following are tech-etiquette tips to add to your toolbox.

Consider your audience. It can be easy to develop a Pavlovian-like habit for automatically responding to the pinging sound of an incoming instant message or e-mail. But it’s critical to be aware of your surroundings and know when it is – and is not – appropriate to reply. For instance, if you’re interacting with your chief financial officer, you’ll fail to impress him or her if you furiously peck on your BlackBerry for half of the meeting. Appearing distracted can send the message that you’re both disinterested and disrespectful. 

Be discreet. This may seem like an obvious tip, but it bears repeating: Make sure all of your technology tools – from your BlackBerry to your iPhone – are set to vibrate instead of ring before a meeting begins. And while putting your devices on vibrate mode is less offensive than leaving the ringer on, it’s still better to let calls go to voicemail and avoid checking your e-mail until after the gathering. Likewise, it’s offensive to pull out your laptop in the middle of a meeting and check e-mail or, worse yet, surf online. Wait until you’re back at your desk.

Be flexible when it’s urgent. Sometimes an issue will come up that you simply can’t ignore. Thirty-seven percent of executives in the Robert Half survey felt it was OK to answer an e-mail as long as the message was urgent. Still, 23 percent of those polled said professionals should excuse themselves from the meeting before responding. Indeed, it’s best to step quietly out of the room if you have to attend to a problem right away. If you’re dealing with a pressing matter before a gathering and know you might have to respond to a critical phone call or e-mail, briefly explain the situation at the outset of your meeting. That way, no one will be surprised – or offended – if you leave the room.

There’s no doubt that etiquette around technological gadgets is complicated: You may check your e-mail while you’re at dinner with friends, so why wouldn’t you do the same in a meeting? Keep in mind, however, that proper etiquette means understanding when to tune out your devices and tune in to those around you. Knowing the most appropriate ways to use technology will help you take advantage of its convenience and efficiency while avoiding common gaffes.

Founded in 1948, Robert Half Finance & Accounting, a division of Robert Half International Inc., is first and largest specialized financial recruiting service. The company has more than 360 offices worldwide. Search for jobs now or learn more at www.roberthalf.com.