Outside the conference room was a rack, with chargers and on the entrance, door were three signs, one of a cell phones, another of an IWatch and a sign that read no electronic devices during meetings. Family businesses should be cautious that their people don’t become card carrying members of the Head Down Generation.
A Forbes article shared the following. Researchers surveyed 554 full-time working professionals who earned more than $30K in income and were employed by companies with at least 50 employees. They asked survey participants about the use of smartphones in formal and informal meetings to uncover attitudes about answering calls, writing or reading emails or text messages, browsing the internet, and other mobile phone related behaviors. Key findings include:
- 86% think it’s inappropriate to answer phone calls during formal meetings
- 84% think it’s inappropriate to write texts or emails during formal meetings
- 75% think it’s inappropriate to read texts or emails during formal meetings
- 66% think it’s inappropriate to write texts or emails during any meetings
- At least 22% think it’s inappropriate to use phones during any meetings
The article goes on to list the messages you send when you use your phone in a meeting. You show:
- Lack of respect. You consider the information on your phone to be more important than the conversation in the meeting; you view people outside of the meeting to be more important than those sitting right in front of you.
- Lack of attention. You are unable to stay focused on one item at a time; the ability to multitask is a myth.
- Lack of listening. You aren’t demonstrating the attention and thinking that is required of truly active listening.
- Lack of power. You are like a modern-day Pavlovian dog who responds to the beck and call of others through the buzz of your phone.
There are positive points to ponder if you disconnect from your cell phone and Email. Suddenly you’ll find yourself on time, your mornings, daily start will be Yours. Many, many of The Head Down Generation wake up and grab their smart phone first thing. They review all of their aps, and at times get caught up in others Instagram, or Facebook posts.
Another set of tips to avoid being the Head Down Generation label is to manage your email. Some powerful ideas are:
- Only review your email twice a day.
- Filter it, have all ccs excluded from your inbox.
- Send fewer and fewer
- Use a standard Subject Headings/Format
- Never use Reply All
- Keep emotions for in person discussions
The other point is the use Grammarly or some spell check. This writer from time to time has some terrible typos. Are you part of the Head Down Generation, HDG? In a world where things are ever changing at a fast pace, it is no longer good enough to work “heads down”. We have to keep our heads up and be constantly aware of our surroundings. We offer these ideas, don’t multitask, fine tune your senses and become an expert at chilling, savoring the sun and wind. Don’t be part of the HDG.
Leave a Reply