PPB October 2017

I t’s inevitable. It’s like the metal casing from the missing eraser on the end of a pencil rubbing on paper. On an important conference call, does it bother you when everyone asks, “How’s the weather where you are?” Why do we continue to waste important, genuine get-to-know- you, get-stuff-done time? We know it’s hot in Phoenix. I did the math. Consider eight people, who, on average, make $75,000 a year and talk about “fluff ’n stuff” for 15 minutes on each monthly conference call. That’s 1,440 minutes of wasted productivity—or $8,664. A C-suite call is closer to $25,000 in wasted dollars that could have been spent on employee wellness or philanthropy. But more important, what about the opportunity cost—the opportunity to actually get to know each other better? And help each other? That’s what matters most. I believe that being vulnerable is attractive. Being vulnerable can be a gateway to genuine conversation, friendship and, in many cases, better business relationships. So, why not improve conference calls, icebreakers and networking events, by getting right to the heart of the matter? So, Mrs. and Mr. Conference Call Leader, here are some methods to help your team better connect as well as help you lead productive calls, skipping awkwardness and wasted productivity. How to make the most of that dead air and, maybe, discover something amazing. by Danny Rosin, CAS About Those Conference Calls And Icebreakers 86 | OCTOBER 2017 | THINK