4 Board Room manners you never realized

It’s been slightly over 4 years of being associated with the

corporate world. Things that were important and unusual to

me a few years back are a routine bourgeois today. Well,

who to blame but that’s what run-of-the-mill does to you.

Frankly enough, even out of this hackneyed routine there

are things that irk in my eye as much as they used to do on

the initial days.

Senior management meetings might be casual for some

and extreme formal for others. Whatsoever the case may

be, do keep in mind these hygiene points.

1) Distant your corporate self from taste buds for those few

hours of the serious boardroom discussion- A lot of times

one forgets how his interaction with the pantry staff for

requesting a black tea, with less sugar and about 2

spoons of milk can be distracting and demeaning to the

rest of the audience. There are ways to deal with it. Being

cautious beforehand and telling in your preference to the

server ahead the meeting start time sounds like a great

idea. Avoid this habit until your beverage/ snack

preference is seriously medically linked.

2) Let technology not interfere the meeting proceedings-

Apart from the basic check of putting the phone on mute,

don’t create a mess of wires with putting your stuff on

charging. I was in a senior management meeting a year

back when Mr. ABC sat on the middle centered seat and

put his laptop on charging. To his bad luck, the charging

point was a bit far and so the wire seemed to make an

infinitely long connection. He would signal everyone

crossing his seat to be cautious. I really can’t tell you how

irritated everyone was. Be thoughtful while putting things

on charge inside the meeting room.

3) Take the seat nearest to the door, in case you anticipate

hurried-sudden movement out from the board room- It’s

wise to do this when you already know urgent phone call

is expected. At least you would be doing a little less harm

by disturbing minimum number of meeting members.

4) Digital notes make sound, let’s accept it- Usually I have

seen three kinds of people attending meetings. First, those

who will just carry the cell phone to the room. Second,

who like to carry a notepad. Third, who like to be

accompanied with their laptop. Purpose of these can be

varied and I don’t judge any. But in case you fall into the

third category and intend making digital notes, or

sending immediate mails on the MOM… please don’t flaunt your typing skills. It’s good to be fast but meeting

room is the place to be a little erudite in not distracting

others with your thump on the keyboard.

-Jasleen Kaur Gumber