2. Use voice mail to leave a brief message if the recipient doesn’t answer. Avoid using profanity in public, no matter what vocal volume you use.

3. Set your cell phone to silent or vibrate mode during meeting. Taking calls during meeting sends the message that the caller is more important than those in the room. If you are expecting an important call that may come during a meeting, inform participants at the start that you may need to step out to take a call.

4. Turn off cell phone or set to vibrate only. If you are expecting a call that you must take, inform your dining partners ahead of time. If the call comes, excuse yourself, leave the table, and go outside or to a location that won’t annoy other diners. Make the call as brief as possible.

5. If not prohibited by the transit authority or carrier, speak with a normal volume level. Imagine having a conversation with the person next to you; there is no need to shout. Observe the laws of your state when driving. The safest choice is to not use the phone at all.

6. Turn off your cell phone or set to vibrate only if you are expecting an important call, such as from the babysitter. If a call comes through that you must take, excuse yourself and go the lobby to take the call.

7. Don’t talk loud or shout into the phone. If the connection is poor, yelling won’t improve the signal strength. Keep calls brief when you are with other people. Doing otherwise implies that the caller is more important than those you are with in person.

8. Practice, by touch and without looking, location the button that will silence your phone in case you forget to turn it off. When possible, put a distance of 10 feet or two arms’ length from other people when using the phone.

9. If you are the one making a presentation, don’t stop to answer your phone if it does ring. If you are uncertain about whether mute or turn off your phone, err on the side of courtesy by turning it off or putting it into vibrate or silent mode.

10. With a date or business contact, there are few calls that are more important that the people you are with. If your phone does vibrate, you’ll impress them by silencing it, ignoring it, or looking at the Caller ID and starting you call the person back later.