BlackBerrys in Meetings: Take Notes, Feign Interest

Editor's note: If you have a pressing business-etiquette question for Miss Conduct, please send her an email.

If all meetings were run by Miss Conduct's beloved ex-boss, everyone in attendance would immediately turn off their cell phones and electronic devices for fear of missing an exciting new development in the discussion.

But meetings being what they usually are -- an excuse for the perfect boss to hear his or her own mellifluous voice -- Miss Conduct recognizes that the mePhone or CrackBerry could be the only thing keeping you awake.

So how can polite employees use their time, presence and electronics wisely? Or rather, how can one do something so palpably rude -- say, turn away from the boss to check the electronic inbox -- in a polite way?

Attention, Please

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