Seven Tips to Crush Your Next Conference Call

It occurs on a regular basis for almost every individual in the corporate world, and it is also the most fraught with peril. The scourge of the modern executive. The captor of thousands (or maybe millions) of hours each and every day. The dreaded… conference call!

And now it is happening more frequently than ever before, and will continue to increase in frequency.

Conference calls have become so routine and so standard that they are often not considered what they really are: an opportunity to stand out and present with senior leaders on the line; an opportunity to drive a message forward; an opportunity to influence through communication.

Unfortunately, these are often lost opportunities.

Here are a few ways to make sure these opportunities don’t slip through your fingers:

1. Get a headset – A telephone cradled between your ear and your shoulder is distracting. Holding a phone to your ear can be tiring for hours on end. Having someone on speaker allows too much ambient noise. A headset allows freedom. It also allows you to …
2. Have the call… standing – Yes, that’s right, standing. Movement is an essential component of public communication, enhancing your delivery as well as helping you keep focus as if there were a live audience in front of you.
3. Turn off technology – Conference calls don’t just allow for multitasking — they invite it (and we are not very good at it :). You wouldn’t text or email while delivering a speech or presentation to a board, or even a team. Having any devices on is an invitation for distraction.
4. Pay attention to your voice (tone, pitch, etc.) – On video calls, there are numerous cues. No video means those cues are far fewer. Without nonverbal cues, your audience will be relegated to verbal ones. That means your voice has outsized impact. Keep that in mind when delivering information. Context is built around your verbal cues.
5. Avoid the urge! – Not having an audience in front of you can also allow for a cluttered desk and scattered notes. Prepare as if you were walking into a presentation, in your office (even while working virtually) … because in many ways you are! Having key messages and supporting bullet points can be helpful. Having too much information can distract you, which will distract your audience.
6. Close the blinds! – If at all possible, try to choose your location so that you can cut out as many distractions as possible.
7. Prepare – Determine your key messages. Why does your information matter to each participant? How can they use that information? Be in a position to listen. Be active. Be involved. Take advantage of the situation.

And finally, be careful with the mute button. :). We have all been there – the 20 seconds of silence while someone (and I am often the offender) reaches to hit the mute button to “un-mute” themselves.