A man checks his BlackBerry smartphone in Washington. While you may not be stripped of your power if you commit a smartphone etiquette gaffe, tapping away at the wrong time can hurt your business relationships, and even your career. (FILE / The Associated Press)

Next time you reach to check the messages on your smartphone during a meeting, think of Malcolm Smith.

The New York State Senate Majority Leader was ousted in a legislative coup on June 8. One of the men behind his removal complained that during an important meeting, Smith paid more attention to his smartphone than he did to the discussion at hand.

Although you may not be stripped of your power if you violate smartphone etiquette, tapping away at the wrong time can hurt your business relationships, and in turn, your career.

Abby Gouverneur Carr recalls having lunch with a woman she was considering hiring. The job seeker had placed her phone on the table, and midway through the meal, it started to vibrate. With no apology or explanation, she picked it up.

"I just found it rude," said Carr, managing director of BlissPR in New York. "I really believe that in business, your attention is the most important thing you have. And it's increasingly scarce."

The woman didn't get the job.

In today's highly competitive business world, it may seem like you have to be connected at all times. But business experts say smartphone users of all types should be careful.

"I think that there are a lot of people who have, what I would call, low 'EQ,' " or etiquette quotient, said John Challenger, CEO of Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc., an executive consulting company. "The lower your EQ quotient, the more likely you are to be oblivious

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to the feelings of those around you as you tap away."

Paying attention to your messages instead of the meeting you're attending sends a signal that the people in the room are not important to you, Challenger said. And that's a dangerous message if those people have power over your job and career path.

Some senior executives have started to ban the devices from meetings. Marla Harr, a consultant and trainer for Business Etiquette International, advises turning off smartphones and even less advanced cell phones before going into a meeting. Leaving a device on vibrate, she warned, can be distracting and create the temptation to check it.

If you're waiting for an emergency call or message, she suggested mentioning that to the person running the meeting at the start. If the call does come in during the meeting, she said, apologize, excuse yourself and leave the room momentarily.