Don’t Forget Conference Call Etiquette

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A lot of people, especially those in the corporate industry, have been forced to work from home because of COVID. I believe for the early part of the year, the same situation will still be in place. And yet, even until know, some people still might not be aware of some of the unspoken rules in a conference call. I know we’ve all experience at least one bad conference call. You know—the one where everyone is talking over each other and it takes so long to finish that when it finally does, you’ve completely forgotten the reason you even had that call. Although it’s not too late to turn things around. Here is a guide detailing conference call etiquette that will turn your next call into a more pleasant one.

Mute Your Microphone

I’m willing to bet that the number one distraction in a conference call is an unmuted microphone. Not muting your microphone is disrespectful to other people participating in the call, especially when you’ve got a lot of background noise going on in your end. A key to having a productive call is to ask everyone if the mics can be muted until it’s their turn to speak up.

Prepare The Agenda

For all the call hosts out there, it’s important to have an agenda to keep the meeting on track. Not having an agenda will cause the meeting to derail and will leave you confused and exasperated. You don’t have to go all fancy and make it all formal (Although I won’t stop you from doing it, too.) You can opt to write down your agenda on a piece of paper and just go from there. As long as you’ve got one, you can save yourself from a disastrous call. Additionally, if the agenda is something that can be discussed via email or group chat, then a conference call isn’t that necessary.

Keep All Distractions At Bay

I’ll admit, I’m bad at staying focused. One minute I’m writing something down, the next I’m scrolling mindlessly through Twitter. When you’re on a call, only open the call conferencing app and keep all browsers closed all the time lest you spiral and end up distracted. Also, if not needed for something important, keep your phone far from you so you don’t start reaching for it the moment you feel yourself losing focus.

Keep It Short

Nobody is thrilled to sit through a two-hour meeting. Nonetheless, meetings are important in the corporate life so it is a must to have them. To keep everyone focused and involved, try and limit meetings to an hour. Preferably, make it just 30 to 45 minutes long so everyone stays present mentally.

Be On Time

Even if it’s done virtually, try to show up on time. Showing up late to a meeting may disrupt people’s attention and time. It may even cause the meeting to last a bit longer because they all have to go through the points they’ve discussed one more time just to keep you up to date. Respect everyone’s time and don’t be late.