Technology Use in Meetings

Many organizations rely on a standing ground rule: no phones, no laptops. The intent is understandable, but the outcome isn't always what's desired.

A blanket ban on technology can signal that disengagement is a people problem rather than a meeting design problem. It may also undermine trust in professional judgment. There is another path.

You may not need a “no technology” rule if the meeting itself is worth attending.

When Technology Becomes a Symptom, Not the Problem

People rarely disengage because they are careless or unprofessional. More often, they disengage because the meeting does not require their full attention or contribution. Consider these conditions instead:

1. The Content Matters to the People in the Room

Meetings that address real decisions, current challenges, or meaningful work tend to hold attention without enforcement. An engaging, relevant meeting reduces unnecessary technology use without policing behavior.

Questions worth asking:

• What decision or outcome requires this group?

• What would be lost if this meeting were canceled? (If the answer is “not much,” technology use is a predictable response.)

2. Preparation Is Expected and Enabled

When participants receive an agenda in advance and are asked to prepare specific input or reports, they arrive ready to contribute. This shifts meetings from passive listening to shared responsibility.

Practical tools:

• Clear agenda with outcomes, not just topics

• Assigned preparation tied to each participant’s role

3. You Are Known to Respect Time

Leaders earn attention by demonstrating discipline. That includes:

• Starting and ending on time

• Keeping discussion aligned to the agenda

• Using a visible parking lot for important but off-topic items

Time stewardship communicates respect. It also reduces the impulse to multitask.

4. Attendance Is Intentional, Not Habitual

People should be invited because their expertise or perspective is essential, not because “they always attend.”

Psychological safety matters here. When people know their input is needed and welcomed, they tend to stay present.

Design principle

• Invite contributors, not observers

5. Trust Is Explicit

Professionals do not need to prove their professionalism. If someone is using technology during a meeting, it may be because:

• They are referencing data

• They are supporting real-time decision-making

• They are managing a clinical or operational priority

In Practice

If technology feels disruptive, the question may not be “How do we control attention?” It may be “Have we designed a meeting that deserves it?”

Before adding a “no technology” rule, review the meeting design:

• Clarify the purpose and outcome of the meeting

• Share an agenda in advance with defined expectations for participation

• Invite only those whose input is needed

• Start and end on time; use a parking lot to manage drift

• Trust participants to use professional judgment about technology

If these elements are in place, technology use typically resolves itself.

A Reflection for Meeting Leaders

Use these questions to reflect on a recent meeting:

1. Purpose

• Why did this meeting exist?

• What decision, insight, or alignment did I genuinely need from this group?

2. Design

• How did the agenda support the purpose?

• Where did I rely on habit rather than intention?

3. Participation

• Who spoke? Who did not?

• What might have made it easier for quieter voices to contribute?

4. Time and Focus

• How well did I protect the group’s time?

• Where did the meeting drift, and what could have prevented that?

5. Trust

• What did my meeting design communicate about trust?

• If someone disengaged, what might that have been telling me about the meeting itself?

6. One Change

• What is one specific change I will make in my next meeting?

Download a free Meeting Design Checklist for a practical framework to design meetings that earn attention without relying on restrictive rules.

Selected References

• Edmondson, A. (2019). The Fearless Organization. Wiley.

• Rogelberg, S. G. (2019). The Surprising Science of Meetings. Oxford University Press.

• Harvard Business Review. Multiple articles on meeting effectiveness, preparation, and psychological safety.