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Peopleclock Poppycock
We cherish goofy ideas because they bring laughter to our lives. The latest goofy idea: The Peopleclock.
Under a post by a blogger entitled "Improve Team Conference Calls With A Very Simple Trick," the writer discusses a technique reported in the Harvard Business Review to increase visual stimulation during an audio conference call by placing participant headshot photos next to different times on the clock.
Writes the blogger, "Everybody keeps this peopleclock visible (either on their screen or via a hard copy print-out) for the duration of the call. So when a participant speaks either for the first time or when they have not contributed for a bit they just say "Its Ken here at 3 o’clock" or "This is Joe at 9 o'clock". ...You would be amazed at how just glancing at the speaker’s picture as they talk can bring more life into the call and makes it easier to avoid your mind wandering."
Is this blogger serious? Can you imagine setting this up? Among 5 people, or 15 people? Coordinating who's going where on the peopleclock? Getting all the headshot photos, including headshots from people you've never met or don't know? Creating and assembling and redistributing the peopleclock print-out? Do you mail or fax the printout?! Remembering to say what "time" you're "at" to indicate to the group? Holding back your laughter at saying such a goofy thing?
The only thing we imagine saying is, "Hi, this is Conferencing News at 4 o'clock in the morning. Time to go home."
February 27, 2007
