Dinner Quote by Kristen Welker
“A couple of years ago, I went to dinner with a very high-profile source, and out of respect, I put my phone down for, say, an hour and a half. And during this dinner there was a major breaking story related to the Secret Service. When I picked my phone back up, I had missed about 50 emails and seven phone calls from the network.”
About This Quote
Choosing to be present in a social setting can cause missed professional communications, highlighting the tension between attentiveness and connectivity.
In simple terms: Being present can cost you messages.
Presence vs. connectivity trade‑off.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- dinner with a VIP
- conference networking
- family gathering with urgent emails
Key Concepts
Practical Applications
- set brief, scheduled check‑ins
- use status indicators to signal availability
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you decide when to stay offline?
- What signals can you give to manage expectations?
Strict disengagement may appear rude or unprofessional.