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Posts Tagged ‘conference calling etiquette’
Conference Call Hell
Are you addicted to conference calls or do you fear them? Most people either love them or hate them. It really doesn’t matter if it’s over the phone, Skype or in an actual meeting room.
Do you suffer from conference call hell? We can’t stand them yet we have to have them as part of our weekly schedules. 3 out of 4 people working full-time, suffer from conference call hell. Out of these, at least half say that the average call is NOT as effective as it should be.
Most of us would agree that the interruptions during an average conference call are often and take away from the point of the meeting. We can’t hear what is being said over people eating, typing, dogs barking, babies crying or someone’s phone echoing. Once the speaker is back on point, they tend to take too long to make their point.
If you feel like maybe you are carrying on your topic too long and your colleagues are Facebooking, Tweeting, texting or even cleaning up their desks while they should be listening to you, then you could be right. Most people will admit to doing other activities once their interest has been lost.
So, what can you do to spice up your next meeting?
- Distribute information that your colleagues cannot miss out on
- Be IN CHARGE—not everyone’s friend. This makes them feel like they are now on your level and you lose respect.
- Start and stop ON TIME. Promptness is key and your co-workers will know you respect their time.
- Have people use their mute button unless they need to speak. This will cut down on outside noise and keep the meeting professional.
- Stay on topic so everyone keeps their interests up
- And finally—be interactive!!! This keeps people excited and paying attention because they want to be ready in case they are called upon.
You need to be more than just a great public speaker to lead a conference call. You need to be able to grab your audience’s attention and keep it there.
Convey energy and enthusiasm to your audience rather than just speaking plainly. Phone and video chatting is never as satisfying as face-to face conversations or meetings but we need to do the best we can to NOT put our colleagues through conference call hell.
Sometimes, as the host of the conference call, you are doing everything right on your end and it’s the attendees that create the scenario of a less than perfect conference call. Check out this hilarious video from David Grady over on YouTube and see how sometimes it’s not the host’s fault when conference call hell occurs.
Conference Call Etiquette
Your conference call is on the right track. Everyone has made their introductions and the meeting is going splendidly. Suddenly a very large sounding barking dog decides to join the meeting. Ok. This can be overlooked. The dog owners ensuing tirade to shush the dog, eh, not so much.
Even though you may be sitting there in your den still wearing your pajamas at three in the afternoon, you must still simulate a professional environment as if you were sitting at a board room table in a smart business suit.
Find a quiet area and use a phone that does not pick up background noise. You don’t want the other participants to think you are attending the meeting from a dark corner in a dance club. If a quiet area is not an option, or your phone picks up every little sound within a 10 mile radius, use the mute button on your end until you need to speak.
If you do use the mute button, be sure any hold music is turned off. The smooth stylings of Barry Manilow are not always a welcome addition at conference calls.
Be familiar with all the buttons and features of the call. Especially if you have muted yourself. You don’t want to miss the opportunity to share your brilliant contributions to the conversation because you can’t figure out how to be heard.
When you do speak, unless you have already been announced, introduce yourself so everyone knows who is speaking. This is very helpful to the person that might be taking notes of the call.
Don’t fidget. Don’t rustle through your paperwork. It’s very distracting for other attendees. If you must cough, sneeze, snap, crackle, or pop- do your absolute best to prevent your ‘functions’ from being blasted over the sound waves.
So just remember, even though you’re wearing your super soft Star Wars Jammies, make sure everyone thinks you’re dressed to the nines.
