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The Mark Twain Guide to Conference Calling (Chapter 1)
- By Andre Vanier
- Published February 14, 2010
- Business Management
- Unrated
Andre Vanier
Andre D. Vanier is the CEO of Rondee, a leading provider of free conference call services for businesses and consumers and the first to market with web-based scheduling and attendance tracking.
View all articles by Andre Vanier
Leaders in business frequently emphasize teamwork as the benchmark for quality results in any group effort. Productive interaction with other members of your team is vital in business, and the ability to see yourself as part of a process bigger than yourself is extremely important. Businesses rely on individuals who possess the skill to perform effectively in their own duties, while also contributing in a meaningful way to the success of other members of the team.
This article looks at several insightful quotations from the famous American author, Mark Twain; and what his thoughts can teach us about conference calling, over a century later. We will examine the importance of cultivating respect, appreciation for others, and willingness to learn—attributes that can help you get the most out of your next conference call.
Lesson 1: Be Respectful.
"Be respectful to your superiors, if you have any." (Advice to Young People: Speech, April 15, 1882).
Any operation needs to have clearly defined leadership. Success hinges on the ability of leaders to bring the best assets of each member to bear. Successful conference calls take careful planning and the most successful ones hinge on a commitment by all sides to respectful dialogue.
Lesson 2: Don't get carried away in expressing your opinions.
"There are three things which I consider excellent advice. First, don't smoke to excess. Second, don't drink to excess. Third, don't marry to excess."
(Last public address, St. Timothy's School for Girls, Catonsville, MD, 9 June 1909).
It’s important to maintain perspective during a conference call. Resist
the urge to prove a point, or get into personal vendettas; these take you away from the purpose of the call, and away from the ethos of teamwork.
You decided to participate in the call because of the expertise, experience and skill that you bring to the table, and your opinions need to be heard. But never lose sight of the bigger picture.
When making a point, try to be concise, yet expressive. Make sure your voice is heard, so the team has the opportunity to benefit from your contribution; but once you’ve made your point clearly, move right along.
Lesson 3: It’s okay to say “I don't know”.
"I was gratified to be able to answer promptly, and I did. I said I didn't know."
- Life on the Mississippi
Understand that your role in the conference call is simply to contribute your knowledge and expertise to the conversation. You don’t have to have all the answers, and no one expects you to.
Be clear about what you should know, and make sure that you prepare carefully for the call beforehand. This way, whenever you don’t know the answer to a question, you can securely say “I don’t know, let me get back to you on that ” without skipping a beat .
Lesson 4: Encourage creativity and brainstorming.
"There are two times in a man's life when he should not speculate: when he can't afford it, and when he can." (Following the Equator, Pudd'nhead Wilson's New Calendar)
When we get over other the impulse to have an answer for everything, it opens up an important door for us—the opportunity to ask questions. Brainstorming is a vital part of the creative process for any team. Teleconferencing is an ideal venue to encourage creativity because the format provides for joint participation and dialogue.
This article looks at several insightful quotations from the famous American author, Mark Twain; and what his thoughts can teach us about conference calling, over a century later. We will examine the importance of cultivating respect, appreciation for others, and willingness to learn—attributes that can help you get the most out of your next conference call.
Lesson 1: Be Respectful.
"Be respectful to your superiors, if you have any." (Advice to Young People: Speech, April 15, 1882).
Any operation needs to have clearly defined leadership. Success hinges on the ability of leaders to bring the best assets of each member to bear. Successful conference calls take careful planning and the most successful ones hinge on a commitment by all sides to respectful dialogue.
Lesson 2: Don't get carried away in expressing your opinions.
"There are three things which I consider excellent advice. First, don't smoke to excess. Second, don't drink to excess. Third, don't marry to excess."
(Last public address, St. Timothy's School for Girls, Catonsville, MD, 9 June 1909).
It’s important to maintain perspective during a conference call. Resist
You decided to participate in the call because of the expertise, experience and skill that you bring to the table, and your opinions need to be heard. But never lose sight of the bigger picture.
When making a point, try to be concise, yet expressive. Make sure your voice is heard, so the team has the opportunity to benefit from your contribution; but once you’ve made your point clearly, move right along.
Lesson 3: It’s okay to say “I don't know”.
"I was gratified to be able to answer promptly, and I did. I said I didn't know."
- Life on the Mississippi
Understand that your role in the conference call is simply to contribute your knowledge and expertise to the conversation. You don’t have to have all the answers, and no one expects you to.
Be clear about what you should know, and make sure that you prepare carefully for the call beforehand. This way, whenever you don’t know the answer to a question, you can securely say “I don’t know, let me get back to you on that ” without skipping a beat .
Lesson 4: Encourage creativity and brainstorming.
"There are two times in a man's life when he should not speculate: when he can't afford it, and when he can." (Following the Equator, Pudd'nhead Wilson's New Calendar)
When we get over other the impulse to have an answer for everything, it opens up an important door for us—the opportunity to ask questions. Brainstorming is a vital part of the creative process for any team. Teleconferencing is an ideal venue to encourage creativity because the format provides for joint participation and dialogue.