Etiquette in conference calls: dos and don’ts of multi-directional phone conversations
The curse of every hardworking manager. Love them or hate them, with geographically dispersed teams and travel restrictions, conference calls are here to stay as a means of communication in the workplace. If you want to differentiate yourself from your co-workers, follow these simple steps to take in effective conference calling.
Here are my favorite conference call experiences;
A barking dog drowns out the key point of the discussion, bad enough, but the owner starts yelling at his pet.
A thirsty caller uses the hold button while sliding out for a drink, unaware that the music on hold begins to play for everyone on the call.
· A talkative colleague uses the mute button to complain about the call, preventing you from answering the question from the senior manager you are trying to impress.
Obviously, it would discourage all of these career-limiting behaviors, so what should and shouldn’t be done in effective conference calls?
Get comfortable with the fact that you will be speaking in front of a group and will not receive visual cues or comments.
Use the appropriate telephone in a quiet and quiet room.
Do not use cell phones or phones that pick up background noise. Calling from an open plan office is the equivalent of having a conversation in a nightclub. If you really can’t find a quiet room, use the mute button until you are asked to speak.
To avoid a Homer Simpson-style “Doh” moment, learn how to use the mute button and other technologies on your phone. Your smart contributions won’t mean anything if no one can hear them.
Set up the meeting in advance and communicate the dial number, passwords, and other information. “Forward, backward” is something for colleagues crossing the time zone to keep in mind. Don’t figure out time differences with your fingers – check the internet or even call a colleague in there and ask what time it is.
Start the meeting absolutely on time; don’t reward bad behavior from those who are late by waiting for them. Make a role call at the beginning of the meeting, highlighting the missing attendees. Go ahead and get tough, people will love you for it!
Treat the conference call as if it were a meeting. You know the routine; prepare and circulate an agenda, take ya-de-ya-de-ya notes.
Have each caller say hello and introduce themselves. Although they may never meet in person, he is a good relationship builder and makes shy people at least say his name.
Don’t assume that everyone recognizes your voice. Unless you don’t respect the boss and want to remain incognito, say your name before speaking. This is particularly important for the poor who take notes from meetings.
Use guest speakers. Invite a special or important guest and ask them to say a few words at the beginning of the meeting. No one will know they slipped away after five minutes and you will get the benefit of full attention and better behavior.
Don’t let the topic wander. Be an iron fist in a velvet glove: polite but firm if people talk too long or to each other. If your callers are sitting at home in their pajamas nursing a hot chocolate, keep in mind that all they want is to go to bed.
Request information using a person’s name. People will pay more attention to avoid the embarrassment of having to repeat the question.
Don’t mess with papers; scraping chairs, hitting with a pencil, humming, or other noisy and distracting activities. That … makes … people … crazy!
Close the meeting formally, thanking everyone for their time. That little acknowledgment will make them feel good to talk to you again.
And that’s it. Apart from a very personal advice. He does not sit in a leather chair. Always. The problem is that every time you move, an embarrassing noise is emitted that is on the correct frequency to transmit well over the phone. Either you dare and suffer the comments about your faulty digestive system, or you just sit stiff until the call ends. If you’re just following one piece of advice, make sure it’s this: use cloth-covered seats!
