I read somewhere recently that some 91 percent of Americans use mobile phones.
That’s astounding but understandable, as mobile phones help us connected and safe.
What concerns me is that with all the functionality of these easy-to-use phones, many users are losing awareness of themselves, others and where they are.
How many times has a meeting been interrupted by the sounding of a mobile phone?
Do you enjoying listening to someone talking loudly on a mobile phone while you’re waiting in the doctor’s office waiting room?
Does anyone really need to carry on a conversation on a mobile phone while in the bathroom?
I’m starting a movement to address mobile phone manners.
I ask that you adopt my Kolman’s Mobile Phone Protocol:
1. When in a business meeting, public place or bathroom, turn your mobile phone ringer and alerts to vibrate or silent.
2. If you must take or make a call during a meeting, leave the room. If in a public place, find a quiet space and talk quietly.
3. Never use your mobile phone in a bathroom, elevator, restaurant, doctor/dentist offices, hospitals, places of worship, cemeteries, sporting events, etc. (Do you get the idea here?)
4. Never have any type of emotional conversation in public.
5. Do not use loud, ridiculous and annoying “rings,” no matter have clever you think they are.
Poor mobile phone etiquette has become such a concern that there is now a National Cellphone Courtesy Month (July), created to encourage increasingly oblivious mobile phone users to be more respectful of their surroundings.
Here’s a thought: Let’s all be more courteous to those around us, particularly when it comes to mobile phone use.
The sad thing about all this is that there is even a need for mobile phone etiquette.
I welcome your thoughts and comments.
