Due to the efficiency of conference calls, more folks are using this method instead of meeting face to face. It is also more challenging for co-presenters hosting the calls. Following are some tips to ensure a conference will be an effective and successful one:

• Prior to the call, the facilitators need to have a meeting of the minds either by phone or e-mail. This is so they can agree on the purpose of the call and decide who will be facilitating the call.
• Two facilitators must agree which one will be introducing the different discussion topics.
• Never interrupt or talk over someone who is speaking.
• Before beginning to speak be sure to confirm the person who just spoke has actually finished.
• If you are using a speaker phone – please begin by stating the rules on using the mute button.
• Never get emotional or raise your voice. If there is a disagreement – be gracious about it.

Following these rules you will always have a productive conference call.

In the chaotic world of both our business and professional lives, it is important to have positive self-thoughts. Like most highly motivated and driven people we tend to be more self-critical rather than self-empathetic. As a good friend and highly respected psychologist suggested, when damaging toxic thoughts begin be kind to yourself and think of something that makes you feel good. It will help you feel better and allow greater enjoyment of life. In the long run positive self-talk will definitely help us be more effective.

Business casual began as a step up from casual work days. It is supposed be a relaxed professional appearance.  That means, for men, it is a shirt and tie without a jacket or in some cases a long sleeved dress shirt instead of a polo shirt. For women it means a collared shirt, dress or a complimentary jacket.  Recently, while waiting for a client in the lobby, I found it somewhat disturbing to see how we are sliding downward instead of moving upward in business casual.
Here are some business casual faux pas:

For women wearing:
• Shirts worn outside with hems that are designed to be tucked in
• Sandals that look suspiciously like flip flops
• Too tight blouses that look very close to tank tops
• Blouses that show more breast that fabric
• Long dangling earrings especially the feather ones

For men wearing:
• Printed shirts with palm trees and birds on them
• Distressed jeans
• Running shoes
• Frayed leather belts
• Baggy sweaters
• Faded collars with dress sleeves

If you are constantly reviewing your business casual dress options you will always look your elegant, professional best.

Different dress codes appear to apply for different generations. Traditionalists and baby boomers will definitely tell you that white is never worn after Labor Day (the exception is in the winter when winter white is acceptable). The Millenniums and Gen Xers say you can wear white after Labor Day if it is still warm. This can be confusing to the those who want to be sure they are following the appropriate fashion codes.

Remember this: First, you cannot go wrong if you are generationally correct. Secondly, white is always acceptable year round in the tropical climates.

Speaker phones are wonderful because you can have more than one person on a call. 

However, we all know that most folks use the speaker phone when speaking on a cell phone because the reception is sometimes dicey. 

It is acceptable to use the speaker phone when you are in secluded spot and no one else is around. It is not acceptable to use the speaker phone when you are having a private conversation with others around you and certainly not in a meeting with others unless they are a part of the conversation.

So, remember the purpose of speaker phone is being able to have more than two people involved in the conversation. Remember this rule and you will always be socially correct.

A stimulant, red can motivate cash-strapped consumers to make a purchase which something designers and manufacturers know. That’s not malarkey: A recent study by psychologists at the University of Rochester in New York found that red causes people to react both faster and more forcefully because it is seen as a danger cue.

Unfortunately, the study also found that any energy boost from seeing red is short-lived. The psychologists, though, do not believe that applies to wardrobe. The color has become accepted as a classic, alongside black and brown. So, red items are more of a long term investment rather than something to be worn one season and tossed.

Read more at http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20111001/ISSUE03/310019980/from-carmine-to-cerise-red-heats-up-fall-fashion#ixzz1ZrQMRGvP

Be modern in wearing red with brown, navy or camel.

Facebook and Twitter are social media vehicles designed to help us communicate with others. They allow us to easily share information. However, what is posted is never lost plus it can have a tremendous reach to even millions of people.
 
So are these tools our friends or enemies? 

For example, take a recent court ruling reported in the Chicago Tribune by Ameet Sachev on October 1st “Judge backs car dealer that fired employee over Facebook post.”
 
For another example, see the Tribune story on October 9th which discussed that as many recruiters rely on Social Media tools  as they do “word of mouth” in candidate searches. 

Social Media can be a wonderful tool to promote yourself and your brand but it is definitely a balancing act. 

So be sure Social Media promotes your brand and rather than tarnishing it.

Dresses are becoming very popular for women today because they are one piece. So, the question becomes is a dress appropriate in the C-Suite? Jan Fields, the president of McDonald’s, wore a simple navy dress with cap sleeves for her interview on CNN.
The dress was fine for the interview because the segment was targeted to healthy eating and the audience consisted of folks interested in the healthy aspects of food.  A dress can be acceptable in other professional settings. However, you want to be careful if you are hoping to be in the C-Suite.

Elements of a C-Suite dress:
• Classic style
• Solid colors  and the darker shades carry much more authority
• Always wear with sleeves – never sleeveless unless it is a business social function
• A companion jacket with the dress (you can always put it on or take it off)
• Skirt length above the knee

Keep these critical elements in mind when choosing a dress and you will be style elegant and C-Suite ready.

In today’s work environment most of us are working longer hours and spending a great deal of time at our desks. It would be great if each of us had our own office. However, in most cases we have a desk next to someone else or are separated by just a thin wall.

To insure you are the person folks will sit next to please follow these simple rules:

Don’t

Eat food that emits odors which will permeate throughout the floor (That means no hot dogs, pizza or Chinese food to name a few.).
Floss your teeth at our desk (The bathroom is perfect for this exercise.).
Talk or laugh loudly so the whole office can hear you.
Make personal calls at your desk where others can eavesdrop.

Follow these simple guidelines and you will be considered a model citizen at your office.

Paralanguage refers to non-verbal aspects of speech– specifically, tempo, intensity and pitch—because those characteristics dominate speaking performances.  A recent article in the Chicago Tribune talked about the presidential candidates and how their body language spoke volumes. Cited in the article were sociologists William Kalkhoff and Stan Gregory of Kent State University in Ohio who are studying paralanguage.
 
Our audiences, whether in front of a crowd or in an interview, remember us not only by what we say but how we say it.  As Kalkhoff said in the article, “There is a lot going on in these debates that’s occurring on a non-conscious level. The negotiation of power of and status in the “paraverbal” range is just a part of it.”

So, remember, your body language speaks louder than your words!