■R.S.V.P

When you are required to attend a business meeting via email, phone, or electronic calendar, make sure to response if a reply is demanded. Some meetings are structured and spaces secured on the basis of anticipated attendance.

■Arrive Early

If it is impossible, arrive on time but never late. Never assume that the beginning of a meeting will be postponed until all the supposed attendees are present. You would probably miss the valuable information and lose the opportunity to provide your input if you are late, and you should not expect others to fill you during or after the meeting. Everyone is busy, and those who were conscientious enough to arrive on time have no duty to recount the meeting for you.

■Come Prepared

Remember to bring pens and paper with you. Meetings are usually supposed to convey information, and it is disruptive to borrow other’s pen and paper when you need them. If you know you are going to present information, make sure that your view files, handouts, PPT slides and so on are ready well-organized.

■Do not Interrupt

Not until the meeting has adjourned or the addresser asks for comments can you utter your point of view, unless the addresser has encouraged open discourse through the meeting. And don’t interrupt other attendees. Hold your remarks until after the meeting is adjourned. It is impolite to talk during a meeting, as it is inconsiderate of the speaker and might disrupt other members.

■Abstain from Electronics

Just like the notice posted at the beginning of a film in movie theaters, “please silence cell phones and pagers”, activate voice-mail if you have it or forward messages to another phone during the meeting.

■Speak in Turn

Whenever you want to ask a question, put up your hand first till you are invited to express your ideas and thoughts. It is always more appropriate than blurting out your question. Other attendees may also have questions, and the addresser needs to acknowledge everyone.

■Keep Your Questions Brief

Try your best to be perspicuous and clear when you are asking questions. Decompose it into parts or several questions if your question is detailed. But make sure to ask only one question at a time; other members perhaps have some questions as well.

■Pay Attention

Concentrate on the issues the speaker addresses, the questions raised by other attendees, and the answers provided. Obviously, you do not want to waste meeting time to ask the same question that has already been asked by another attendee.

■Be Calm and Patient

Never behave like having ants in your pants. Avoid drumming your dingers, percussing your pen, reading or flipping through your materials not concerning the meeting, or acting in a disruptive manner.

■Attend the Entire Meeting

Do not leave until the meeting is adjourned. Unless it is absolutely necessary and unless you have prior permission, departure in the middle of the meeting is factious and inconsiderate of the speaker, and disruptive to other attendees.

■Respond to Action Items

File your meeting notes or any other formalized minutes for later review or to prepare for future meetings. Ensure the tasks arranged to you would be complete as expeditiously as possible after the meeting.