When you’re having a side-conversation while someone is presenting, you’re not listening to the speaker. And it doesn’t stop there.

It’s not just the people involved in the side-conversation who are no longer listening to the presentation. The people who overhear that side-conversation — or who see it happening — they’re distracted too. At its worst, the speaker even becomes a part of that distracted group.

Being a good audience member doesn’t take skill ... but it does take discipline. Have some self-control and save that side-conversation for the right time.