Technology changes our relation to each other. It adds some things, and removes other things - and changes our meeting points. Nil Eyal wrote in TechCrunch how technology is making meetings worse. I think he here refers to business meetings, but this is thoughtful for any kind of meeting I would say;-)
"It seems that whenever people meet in person these days, they do so
while separating their attention between the people in the room and the
devices in their hands. Somehow, it has become socially acceptable to
digitally masturbate in each other’s company. You might say, “but I’m
taking notes or responding to an important request!” No you’re not, you
are digitally dicking around."
"Most corrosive however, is the fact that less attention means worse
outcomes. When people use their devices during meetings, even just for a
quick sec, they eventually rejoin the conversation, aware that they may
have missed something while they were mentally away. They fear
revealing that they were not paying attention and tend to shut down.
Thus, otherwise valid concerns and bright ideas are never discussed.
Their lack of participation only serves to make the meeting less
productive, less interesting, and more boring. Conveniently, to escape
the discomfort of being not only bored, but also increasingly paranoid,
more device usage ensues and the cycle continues."
Reblogged from:
Nil Eyal: Tech Is Making Meetings Worse, It’s Time For Digital Hat Racks, Tech Crunch, 2012-12-09, (http://techcrunch.com/2012/12/09/digital-hat-racks/)
