Discourse on Meeting Etiquette at Fortune Summit
During the Fortune Most Powerful Women summit in autumn 2025, a key figure voiced a demand for undivided attention from attendees.
“If an iPad is present and it appears you’re perusing emails or checking notifications, I will insist that you close it immediately,” he remarked to Fortune Editor-in-Chief Alyson Shontell. “Such behavior is simply disrespectful.”
Conversely, IBM’s CEO Arvind Krishna offers a contrasting perspective. He posits that it would be odd for a technology firm to discourage its staff from utilizing their devices—especially in larger assemblies where technology could serve as a beneficial asset rather than a mere distraction.
“I differentiate between meetings with 1 to 10 participants and those of a larger scale. In substantial gatherings, I apologize, but it transforms into a communication mechanism rather than a genuine meeting. You are merely disseminating information,” Krishna articulated in an interview with CNN in October 2025.
Nonetheless, the 64-year-old executive emphasized the importance of maintaining decorum in smaller, more personal meetings.
“In a compact meeting setting, I would strongly disapprove of a participant being engrossed in their phone across from my desk,” he stated. “I would suggest they return when they are engaged.”
Dimon’s Perennial Discontent with Meeting Culture
Behavioral norms within meeting environments have been a recurring theme in Dimon’s critiques. Indeed, in his annual shareholder letter issued in spring 2025, he referenced “meetings” six times, urging staff to convene only when absolutely necessary and to maximize the utility of such occasions.
“I frequently observe individuals in meetings distracted by notifications, personal texts, or engrossed in emails,” Dimon noted. “This behavior must cease; it is disrespectful and a misuse of time.”
While Dimon has not outlined specific boundaries regarding meeting sizes—unlike Krishna—his frustration clearly transcends intimate gatherings.
In a discussion at Stanford University in March 2025, Dimon recounted his experience during a Zoom meeting marked by widespread inattentiveness.
“There were 12 participants in the room and four on-screen, yet all four on-screen were fixated on their phones,” he recalled. “And people assert they are focusing and absorbing information?”
Dimon’s disdain for distracted meetings coincides with his leadership of one of the most stringent return-to-office policies on Wall Street.
Currently, most JPMorgan employees are mandated to work in the office five days a week, partly to justify the company’s substantial real estate investments.
In late 2025, JPMorgan inaugurated its new $3 billion global headquarters in Manhattan—a majestic 60-story edifice featuring 19 dining establishments, a company store, and a fitness center.
The Importance of Attention in Meetings
In an era marked by an increasing reliance on technological devices, multitasking during meetings has become more prevalent—especially with AI assistants ready to produce post-meeting summaries, making disengagement enticingly easy.
However, engaging in such multitasking during face-to-face interactions is perceived as deeply discourteous and detrimental, according to Gary Rich, founder of the executive coaching firm Rich Leadership.
“Are good manners now antiquated? Is paying attention in meetings considered ‘old school?’” Rich previously articulated to Fortune.
“When attendees multitask during a meeting, the resultant distraction generates a ripple effect—the speaker feels slighted, other participants become demotivated, and overall productivity diminishes.”
Adopting a high level of professionalism and adhering to established meeting etiquette can ultimately be a strategic method for garnering recognition, demonstrating authentic commitment, and cultivating credibility.
Source link: Fortune.com.
