For somebody who makes a living by working with clients to improve communication, I'm a pretty low-tech guy. Sure, I'm Web-savvy and I have a cell phone, but it doesn't take pictures and I don't use it for text-messaging.

You see, I firmly believe that technology exists to serve us and not the other way around. I see too many people who have become enslaved by their Blackberrys, i-Phones and other communication gadgets. They talk on their phones while trying to drive. They panic when they're away from e-mail for more than a few hours. They frantically text-message their friends, spouses and kids because, OMG, they can't survive for long without knowing "Wot R U up 2?"

The most disturbing trend in all of this electronic frenzy is that the addiction has carried over into the workplace. (Yes, it's an addiction. That gizmo is nicknamed a "Crackberry" for good reason.)

It used to be you couldn't have a meeting without someone's pager going off. Remember pagers? Those quaint little devices that let you know someone needed to talk to you? The good thing about pagers was that you didn't have to call the person back unless and until you wanted to.

Now you can't have a meeting without being interrupted by an incoming call as announced by "When the Saints Go Marching In." And if the music's not playing, the PDA is vibrating all over the table.

As if the songs, pings and hums aren't bad enough, people now feel compelled to answer the phone, read the e-mail or respond to the text message. It's the sheer rudeness of this behavior that is the most irritating aspect of our wireless world.

We've become desensitized to the degree of disrespect we show our co-workers when we try to send e-mail, listen to voicemail or respond to text messages while already engaged in a meeting or conversation. At some point, it became acceptable to disregard the people who are right there in front of us while we fiddle with our gadgets. Doing so, however, sends a strong negative message to our colleagues: "I am too important to be bothered with your presence. You are not as important as this other matter. I'm putting you on hold while I take care of this issue and then, if I have time, I'll pay attention to you."

Am I exaggerating the point? Not by much.

Everything we do, as well as everything we say, communicates something. Imagine the message you could send by turning off the electronic devices while you engage in a real, live conversation with another person.

Robert J. Holland owns Holland Communication Solutions LLC in Mechanicsville. He works with Fortune 500 companies and small businesses to help them develop communication programs that support business goals. He is also available to speak to business groups about workplace communication. You can reach him at robert@hollandcomm.com, at www.hollandcomm.com, or by calling (804) 368-0312.