7 common ways people abuse conference calls

The video below inspired me to write this article. If you haven’t already seen “A Conference Call in Real Life,” it’s worth a watch—but only if you enjoy laughing at yourself (and your boss and co-workers). You’ll probably get that slightly uncomfortable feeling you get while laughing at the idiotic things you’ve done a thousand times on a conference call.

This article isn’t about the silly little bloopers of conference calls. We’ve all forgotten to un-mute ourselves at some point. It’s annoying, but forgivable—and hardly a show-stopper.

This article is about the common ways people abuse conference calls, often rendering them useless—not to mention irritating. Are you a guilty party?

1. Inviting too many people

A conference call isn’t a kindergarten birthday party. You don’t have to invite everyone in the class so no one’s feelings get hurt.