Approximate reading time: 2 mins
Are you a conference caller addict, or a conference call phobic? Not many people seem entirely neutral about the whole business of these collective conversations, whether over the phone, via Skype or some other meetings medium.
Many people suffer from conference call hell. They hate the experience yet their lives revolve around the experience. Around three out four of all office-based workers now suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous conference calls, and over half say they are not as effective as they should be.
More than half struggle to hear what others are saying and nearly a third complain that others take too long to make their point.
If you have the suspicion that while you are talking during a conference call your colleagues are idling the time away doodling, dealing with their text messages and tidying up their e-mails you are almost certainly correct. Over 60 per cent of those surveyed by Plantronics admitted to carrying out other activity.
So what can be done to make your conference call more effective. The top 10 things are:
· Disciplined chair
· List participants
· Disseminate information
· Start and finish on time
· Essential call etiquette
· Use the mute button
· Stay on topic
· Wrap up
· Follow through
· Use interactive techniques
One of the most crucial secrets of making your conference call a success is call leadership behaviour. A good call conference leader can make a huge difference to whether the experience is effective.
Tried and tested conference leader’s actions include:
· Break up long stretches of one speaker, invite them to pause for feedback
· When appropriate, go around the circle to achieve inclusive participation
· Consider offering break-out sessions in which pairs leave the main call and contact each other, interact and then return to the conference.
· In decision-making restate or repeat key issues as they are honed down to a decision point.
· Consider using web-based collaboration tools to create shared electronic notes, flip charts, and so on.
· The larger the group, the more directive your facilitation usually needs to be to prevent a few small vocal people from dominating the call.
· During the call, regularly invite feedback on how the conference is going
· Share leadership duties to help less engaged people become more involved in the call. Ask individuals to lead sections of the agenda.
· Assign people different roles – note taker, timekeeper, keeper of unanswered questions, and so on.
· Imagine you are holding a party, conducting an orchestra or directing a show.
· Convey energy and enthusiasm in your role rather than being a merely passive facilitator.
Phone or video conferences are seldom as fully satisfying as a live human encounter with people in the same room. Treat them as a useful supplement to a conventional, meeting rather than total substitute for it.
