Just when you thought it was safe to keep the same, easy-to-remember password, you start getting messages from those in your contact list asking why you’re traveling overseas and are in “urgent need” of cash. This has been happening to a friend of mine more than she’d like the last few weeks, so I thought this was a perfect time of year to remind you that Halloween isn’t the only scary thing lurking about!

Hackers have nothing better to do than scour cyberspace, searching for easy accounts to hack into to cause grief and inconvenience for the account owner. If you’ve ever been an account-hacking victim, it’s time to give some serious thought to the strength of your passwords protecting those accounts.

I know it can be a hassle to come up with a password that’s not as easy to remember as your child’s name or birthday, but there are tons of resources out there to help you create more secure passwords and even keep track of them (after all, the most secure ones are usually the most difficult to remember).

Creating Strong Passwords
Start by looking over this list of tips provided by Microsoft.com. They offer keys to creating strong passwords, tips on creating a strong password you can remember, and common password pitfalls to avoid. Once you’ve created a password, check its strength with Microsoft’s free password checker.

Having a tough time coming up with a password on your own? You might want to try this free random password generator tool on the PC Tools website. Granted, the password created might not be easy to remember, but it’ll be a lot more secure than your child’s name!

Storing Your Passwords Securely
One of the tips from Microsoft is not to use the same password for everything. So how do you securely keep track of and store them all? There are several applications you can purchase on a subscription basis that securely encrypt and store your passwords. Here are some to get you started.

• Password Genie: They offer a free 30-day trial with a $15 annual subscription fee (the site states this is for a “limited time”).
• Roboform is another application to consider. They also offer a free trial, with three different versions available to purchase on an annual subscription base.

I’ll add a disclaimer here that I haven’t used either of these storage sites, so do your research to see which one will best meet your needs.

Remember, the best time to check your passwords is before any of your accounts are hacked so invest some time this week to at least check the strength of your current passwords using the free password checker. And if your passwords could use a tune-up, use the tips and resources available to help keep your accounts safe from the hackers. Oh, and think twice before sending cash to your email “friends” claiming to be traveling abroad on an emergency trip!

Hosting a triumphant teleconference takes thoughtful planning and preparation with most of that responsibility falling to the facilitator. They’re responsible for coordinating the call, preparing an agenda (with objectives), sending materials to participants, and conducting the teleconference.

But you can’t have a teleconference without participants, who also share in the responsibility of ensuring the call is a valuable experience; for themselves, other participants, and the facilitator. So what can you do as a participant to add value to that next teleconference?  

Before the Call

• Review the agenda and materials ahead of time and prepare questions for discussion to help keep you focused during the teleconference (I’ve created a complimentary teleconference information form that you can use to note your question or comment). Hopefully the facilitator let you know the purpose of the call (informational, instructional, or to receive feedback) and whether or not active dialogue is expected so you can prepare accordingly.
  
• If appropriate, contact the facilitator to find out if you can submit questions prior to the call to help save time (just in case they have to research the answer).

During the Call 
One respondent to the teleconference frustrations poll earlier this spring noted that it’s very easy to get distracted and multi-task when on teleconferences (except if it’s a really important call). After all, unless you’re in a room with others, no can tell if you’re paying attention or not! To help reduce distractions and the temptation to multi-task, try the following:

• Find a quiet area with few distractions.
  
• If you’re in front of your computer, close your email program and log off the Internet (or at least close any open windows).
• List three questions or discussion points you’d like to address during the call (especially if active dialogue is expected). If materials were emailed prior to the call, these questions/discussion points may come from them, or the facilitator or other participants may say something that sparks and idea or question in your mind. 
• Practice active listening skills such as: mentally paraphrasing what the speaker(s) is saying, jotting down key ideas, information, or follow up/action items.
• Mute your line unless you’re speaking. If you don’t have a mute button or switch on your phone, ask the facilitator what function* mutes your line(such as *1). Most teleconference services have a toggle for muting/un-muting (*you can note the mute function on the complimentary teleconference information form).

After the Call

• Complete the evaluation (if you received one) as soon as possible while the call is still fresh on your mind. 
  
• Follow up on any action items you noted during the call. Did you agree to send someone a file, resource, or other information? The complimentary teleconference information form has a section to help you track the “what, who, when” specifics of the follow up.

Before you participate on that next teleconference, invest some time preparing to actively share in the responsibility of a successful call. If you do, I think you’ll find less temptation to let your mind wander or multi-task during the call. Try some of the strategies I’ve mentioned for your next call and let me know how they helped keep you focused and engaged.