Whose turn is it?

QUEUING is expected in self-service restaurants, ATM withdrawals, and buying tickets from the box office.

- By Tony Samson

Exceptions allowed for jumping the queue may apply to the elderly or privileged. But even here, a separate queue maintains an orderly progression. Maybe online transactions have made queuing less important too.

Taking turns is part of our social scene. Even treats for lunch or breakfast where small groups (sometimes just a pair) that meet regularly understand whose turn it is to pick up the bill: Please, no second cup of coffee.

Corporate rules, even if unwritten, are well understood and followed when it comes to whose turn it is to speak.

This queuing rule is not a problem at conferences. Attention is focused on the speaker on stage doing his slide presentation. It is impolite to chat while the session is going on. It is likewise déclassé to be texting on the sly. The open forum allows the facilitator to pick which one can ask the question from the resource person. In such a big crowd, no shouting from the floor is allowed. (Sir, use the mic in the aisle.)