Several years ago, when BlackBerrys were still relatively new, I was disturbed when I thought I saw then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi look at her hand-held during the State of the Union address.  At the time, I couldn’t confirm that she was checking her email. Others felt certain that she was merely looking at some notes. The thought that a member of Congress would thumb away during the course of a presidential speech just astounded me.

 

Then last year, several members of Congress actively tweeted away during the State of the Union, something that few noted after a Congressman rudely shouted a nasty remark.

 

Perhaps this year, civility will return to this annual event.

 

If you are an intern, summer associate or new hire, before you head into a meeting or other event, know the culture of your organization. Some cultures expect employees to be accessible 24/7. In those cases, leave your smart phone. In other cultures, employees are expected to be fully present during meeting. In these cases, turn off your hand-held device. If you expect an emergency message, let the convener of the meeting know. Otherwise, turn your BlackBerry or iPhone off and give 100% of attention to the subject of the meeting. Ensure you are fully present and contribute when appropriate.