Thanks to the ever-growing presence of portable wireless devices in professional circles, your attendees are likely to find distraction during a meeting in their cell phones, laptops, or personal digital assistants (PDAs). For instance, handheld Internet devices called BlackBerries are proving especially popular among execs--in fact, they're sometimes called "CrackBerries" because of their addictive quality. That's why so many white-collar workers can't stop checking their e-mail while they're supposed to be paying attention.
Since portable wireless technology is still relatively new, rules of etiquette have not yet been uniformly established. A 2004 survey by Menlo Park, CA-based Robert Half Technology found that two-thirds of chief information officers think technology-related blunders are increasing in the workplace. This would include behavior at meetings, where the most common offenses include leaving cell-phone ringers on, sending instant messages and e-mail using wireless devices, and typing on laptops out of turn. Internet etiquette, or "Netiquette," is a sore spot as well.
The unchecked use of wireless devices at meetings is a drawback of the new gadgets