Murphy’s Law states that if something can go wrong, not only will it go wrong; it will go wrong at the worst possible time. Xerox has been kind enough to show us how Murphy’s Law can show up on a conference call.
There are moments during a conference call where the urge to express your thoughts is almost beyond your control. Sometimes you listen to that nagging feeling and keep quiet. In a moment of excitement (Red Bull induced or otherwise), some people say what is on their mind and risk making a career limiting remark. The latest Xerox TV Commercial called Mute is a brilliant example why you must pay careful attention to what you say on a conference call and when you say it.
Here is a personal example of when “mute” does not mean you cannot be heard. Last week, towards the end of a conference call I was leading, I heard a click right after one participant had asked another participant a question. I immediately suspected that someone had been disconnected from the call. (NOTE: I am temporarily, and I do mean temporarily now that I’ve had this experience, using a digital phone.) Right after the click, there was dead silence on the call. I remained silent for about 8 seconds and when there was no response, I said perhaps the other person was just disconnected from the teleconference line…could you please repeat your question. More silence. I asked if anyone (there were 17 participants) could hear me? More silence. After about 45 seconds of this, I realized that I must have been the one who had been cut off. I hung up and, shudder, had to call in on my cell phone because there was no signal on my digital phone.
I found out after the call that everyone could hear me perfectly and realized the problem I was having. FORTUNATELY, I have learned to not verbalize my thoughts when I get frustrated on the phone!
In print advertising, editors and copy layout professionals always assume a mistake exists on their artwork no matter how many times they have looked it over. On conference calls, leaders must always assume anything you say can be heard (and in some cases, be used against you).
What classic conference call moments have you witnessed? Please share them with the community through the comments below!
Posted by Byron Van Arsdale, Founder
ConferenceCallTraining.com
