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Networking in your pajamas
The invitations have been sent and the time for your peer group conference call is fast approaching. Oh, the excitement of the anticipation of corroborating with folks of a like mind. You can’t wait to share your insight and knowledge to others as well as gain the additional insight and knowledge they have.
Conference calling with a peer group is quickly becoming a popular way to stay in the loop on industry advancement. The days of waiting for monthly newsletters for the latest news and developments are now hidden in the shadows of getting information as it happens.
Conference call gatherings of the movers and shakers of a specific field, your peer group, allow the unique contributions of each individual to be present together in a forum, no matter where they are located; A concentration of the best, so to say.
With the beauty of conference calling you don’t have to bring your best suit and tie out of the closet, the information learned and shared during the call can have the same value no matter what.
Wow them with your words. In your pajamas.
photo credit: lindsay.dee.bunny
Who Should be Conference Calling?
It really depends on your goals and objectives as an organization. I say organization because a conference call requires the active participation of at least 4 member’s plus a facilitator.
In my view the people who could benefit the most from regularly scheduled conference calls are:
1) Professional sales organizations that have outside sales people in multiple states. These outside sales people typically have a “lone ranger” attitude and bringing them together via conference calling can prove beneficial with right set of call guidelines, agenda and facilitator. Typically these individuals need focus, clarity and nitty-gritty detail for the call to be beneficial to them individually as well as collectively.
2) Management professionals that are responsible for outside personnel in multiple states. Again these people are typically independent thinkers and doers. Nothing can stimulate them more than a well run conference call. They’ll bring buckets of energy to a good call and can be dynamo’s to the creative process. Engage them and prepare to be amazed! Usually these folks enjoy a little chit-chat to warm up the call before they get down to business. Start out with a concise agenda, give everyone a chance to contribute and end the call on time. Your participants will be happy and you will have a good conference call.
3) Anyone else that wants to learn from others: Bakers, auto mechanics, carpet layers, franchises, stay-at-home mom’s and Parent-Teacher-Organization’s to name 6 quickly off the top of my head.
How would a baker benefit from conference calling? Well if I’m a baker and I know other professional bakers throughout the country maybe we should be sharing ideas that matter with people who care during regularly scheduled conference calls. And if the calls help me make more “bread” all the better. At the very least, as a baker I’ll have an opportunity to network with my peers and interact with them on a professional level. And I can do all of this without leaving the comfort of my bakery.
Just about anyone can benefit from a structured, disciplined and well run conference call. Of course all of your calls should be facilitated by a manager that can lead, inspire and motivate.
And now for our weekly inspiration. I remember hearing this from a recent training CD I was listening to from The Wizard of Ads.
Anyone if life can be your teacher schoolboy, if you’ll only take the time to listen.