Meeting Misbehavior

7 infractions to avoid in business meetings

Anna Murray

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Meetings are a necessary evil. Many participants make it worse than it has to be. Here are 7 the worst misbehaviors.

How many are you committing on a regular basis?

Photo by Campaign Creators on Unsplash

1. Multitasking and not listening

The long pause to hit un-mute. The stuttering, “Wait? What was that?”

We all have email to answer (or online shopping to do). You’re not fooling anyone when you say, “I didn’t understand the question. Can you rephrase it?”

“The question was are you available Friday? I’m not sure how else to put it.”

2. Bad connection

Don’t sound like you’re on a CB radio.

Maybe it’s the headset. Maybe you’re in the car. If your job involves communication, make sure you can actually communicate.

3. Background noise

Don’t join the call from the Delta terminal at JFK. (Unless you’re listen-only and do not have to participate.) Be honest and say you can’t join or schedule a different time for the call.

4. Putting the call on hold to take another call; The rest hear hold music.

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Anna Murray

Tech expert, novelist, and essay writer with an ticklish funny bone. My novel, “Greedy Heart,” is First Best Book Finalist in the VIVIAN Awards.