27 unwritten rules for conference calls

Schedule the call for the length of time you need, and remember that this can be five, 10, or 20 minutes. You should not be rounding to the nearest 30-minute increment. Just like with meetings, start on time. Waiting for stragglers only encourages them. If someone joins late, do not catch him or her up. It wastes everyone else's time. Encourage this person to catch up with someone at the end of call to see what was missed. Five minutes before the end of the call, warn everyone that it's wrapping up, and ask if there are any questions. Do not let it run over if at all possible—it's disrespectful of other people's time.