Dan O'Connor

Three Golden Rules of Cell Phone Etiquette

Article posted on Friday, June, 4th, 2010 at 9:57 pm

Here’s your professional communication skills training for the day delivered to you by your favorite communication trainer and motivational keynote speaker Dan O’Connor.

What does your cell phone–and the way you use it–say about you?

Follow these three golden rules of cell phone etiquette to avoid making the most common cell phone faux pas:

1) Your cell phone is not a fashion accessory. It should always be concealed somewhere such as in your breast pocket, in your briefcase or purse, or a desk drawer. Adding fancy “skins” or designer/sparkly cases signals one of two things: you are foolish with your money (therefore less credible as a professional) or you are an elderly lady who likes bedazzled trinkets. Neither of these images will boost your professional or personal power.

2) Turn your phone off–not on vibrate--during any meeting with anyone–always. If your cell phone rings during a meeting, it sends the message that your are only with your guest until someone more important wants your attention. Nothing turns off a client (or a date) more quickly than when your phone starts ringing during a meeting. Of course there are times when you might be awaiting an emergency phone call of some sort, in which case the moment you sit down with your customer or colleague, you say something such as, “I have to apologize–normally I would turn off my cell phone for our meeting, but I am expecting an emergency phone call. I hope it doesn’t come, but if it does, let me apologize in advance for the disturbance.”

3) Excuse yourself from the room/area EVERY time you talk on your cell phone. Listening to one side of a conversation is annoying. If you’ve heard someone talking on their cell phone while on an airplane, out to lunch, or in a theater, you know this. That said, it’s even more annoying when you are actually with the person who’s on one side of the conversation.

Above all, remember that being seen attached to your cell phone actually tarnishes your professional image and communicates a message that actually decreases your professional and personal power. Truly successful, powerful people are not at other people’s beck-and-call. Of course, we all live in the same world, and most of us have no choice but to make ourselves available by cell phone nearly 24 hours a day. Therefore, by following the three simple rules above, you can be available while avoiding being obnoxious or bringing down your own image.

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