Commanders, leaders executives, managers - You cannot take command and control of a meeting, nor can you gain the full attention and absolute alpha-branded respect of the participants if you permit them to use any electronics (mobile phones, Blackberrys, pagers, recorders, or anything which could potentially provide a distraction, a disruption or a breach of security. Don't you keep your electronic gear on during a meeting either.
While I do not advocate running all attendees through a scanner at the entrance, a mere suggestion to "shut off your electronics" is not adequate. It does not truly empower you.
Electronics are a distraction. It is quite a sweeping gesture to prohibit their presence in your meeting, but as the late General Norman Schwarzkopf said, "When told to take command -- take control." This often requires a gesture. In this case, it is a practical one.
The optimal approach (and a practical one at that) is to pre-advise attendees that there will be NO ELECTRONICS permitted in the meeting, and then, upon their entrance, have them place any electronics in a bucket (which stays in the room), and put the bucket in a good old-fashioned soundproofed wooden box or other closed container, which you can then promise to open at the end of the meeting.
This is an alpha gesture, it shows that you are to be taken seriously at your word, and also forces a pre-emptive spiritual surrender to set the tone for the meeting.
We all have rules. As a commander, mine is that in a closed-door meeting, electronics are strictly prohibited. After everyone has surrendered up his or her electronic gear, I am the last to put my iPhone in the bucket. It's a gesture that demonstrates to the others that I am not neither a liar nor a hypocrite.
Thank you for reading me, re-tweeting me, and sharing my writing with your colleagues through the social media. Just don't ever do it while we're in a meeting together.
Happy, healthy, prosperous and peaceful New Year's to each and to all.
Douglas E. Castle
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