Rules of the Conference Call

Conference calls are a great way to get information out to a group of people -- especially if distance is a factor -- but we have all suffered through pointless calls. So if you're looking to have or attend a conference call anytime soon, keep these rules in mind:

• If you're questioning whether you should hold a call or not, don't have it.
• Everyone knows what time the conference call is. Make sure you show up early -- being a minute late is too late.
• Keep it to the point. Ten minutes should be the maximum length of any conference call.
• Since it's only ten minutes long, make sure you give the person holding the call your undivided attention.
• If you are holding the call, make sure you leave room and time for feedback for questions. The best thing about conference calls is that it is a back and forth. If you wanted to have a conversation without the nuances that audio can provide, an email would have sufficed.
• If you need to talk to someone, pick up the phone and call them. Don't spend that time involving others in a call that isn't relevant to them.