Continuous Partial Attention
How many times have you been at a networking function and realized that half of the people there are paying more attention to their mobile devices than to the other attendees they showed up to meet and network with? Worse, have you yourself been guilty of staying so glued to your phone or tablet that you have missed the opportunity to make a powerful connection with the person standing right in front of you?
We are living in a world that is more connected than ever and there are some definite pitfalls in our hyperconnected world as it intersects with our business relationships and our networking. One of these pitfalls is that hyperconnectivity can lead to a state of what I call ‘continuous partial attention.’
In this video, I introduce the concept of ‘continuous partial attention’ and I also discuss the risks and repercussions which accompany it. Watch the video now to learn how to avoid falling into a state of continuous partial attention and prevent it from wreaking havoc on your productivity at work and your ability to achieve your goals.
If you have any stories about how falling victim to a state of continuous partial attention has affected you or someone you know, I’d love for you to share your experience in the comment forum below. Thanks!
I want to clarify the comment in this video about keeping on a mobile device in case your wife goes into labor. Obviously – that is a MUST. What I was referring to was that I’ve had people use that as a reason why someone “might” need there device on (as an excuse for them to keep their device on).
Astute observation Dr I and it gave me pause for thought. One thing that I noticed was that the producer seems to suffer from acute attention deficit disorder by jumping from one camera to another at the most random of & quick-fire times!
Dr. Misner, I applaud you for this accurate discription of real time situations with various individuals who have these characteristics. They surely need to be made aware of the disrespect and lack of courtesy they convey to their associates when they choose to punch buttons instead of listening. Thanks to you sir. jw