Mute Button Mishaps: Virtual Meeting Blunders
At a recent training that I attended with Gen Y Professionals, we shared embarrassing tales from virtual meetings. A virtual meeting is a meeting where some or all participants communicate with each other via teleconference or video conference, they can be an opportunity to save a significant amount money. With many companies allowing Flexible Work Arrangements, virtual meetings are a business norm. As companies try to expand globally, virtual meetings are a necessity. During my class, we shared these virtual blunders with each other so that we could be aware of common mistakes and share best practices.
Memorable Virtual Meeting Blunders
We’ll start with this one because it’s Friday:
- We are creatures of habit, so when new technology enters our life, there is a learning curve. A female employee received a new Bluetooth headset. It was different than the wireless headset she was familiar with and had used for years. During a conference call, she jiggled with her headset to hit mute, and then ran to the restroom. As she is in the bathroom, virtual participants heard bathroom noises. No one knew who it was coming from but when she flush the toliet and realized what was happening, she yelled, “SHIT!” and everyone knew it was her.
- A New York City salesmen was riding along in his car as he joined a conference call. Suddenly, he is cut off by another driver and every non-professional word he knew can out of his mouth. His coworkers got an ear full of aggressive, angry, cuss words blaring through their polycom because he was not muted. No one was impressed.
Avoid Virtual Meeting Blunders
Pay Attention! The best advice to avoid mute button mishaps or other virtual meeting blunders, is to pay attention! If you are paying attention and are more cautious, you will remember to properly use your mute button before going to the restroom or swearing.
Driving and Talking /Texting can Kill! If you are driving, avoid conference calls. If you have to join a call, then be careful and be an expert at using your own mute button. Drivers are the worst mute button abusers. Everyone can hear that you are in the car. We can hear your static. We can hear your road noise and it’s annoying.
If you are on a conference call while driving, you are probably putting half of your attention on driving and other half on the call. Not only will you miss key things during a meeting, you will be less alert to your surroundings and more likely to get into an accident. Do you really want to tell your new boss that you were in an accident in a company car (or rental car) because you were on a conference call and didn’t see the car in front of you slam on their breaks? Don’t use your Blackberry while you are driving either. Pull over or wait until you arrive at your destination. Your life is more important than answering an email.
Follow Conference Call Etiquette! There are certain rules for holding conference calls. For example, if you have participants in other time zones, be conscious of what time of day you schedule meetings. If you are a meeting host, show up early and prepare. Do not make others wait on you. Lunch meetings are also terrible for virtual conference calls. Not only does everyone else get to hear that half the team is together and eating lunch, we also get to hear the 15 people in the room ball up their hoagie wrappers.
Do you have a great Mute Button Story or other virtual meeting blunder? Share with us!
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Tags: Career Development, Virtual Meetings
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February 1st, 2008 at 10:36 am
Great post! Love the video
I was once on a call where it sounded like someone was taking a bath, no joke. I think it turned out to be some technical interference but either way it was interesting. I just try to always practice good etiquette, even when on mute, because as your story of the woman with the new headset goes, you never know.
February 1st, 2008 at 10:05 pm
Funny video thanks! This seems to be a common thing nowadays and I’m always surprised by it. Like Brandon said, just act like there is NO mute button and these things won’t happen.