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Effective Meetings by Phone - Part 2,
How to Hold a Teleconference
By Steve Kaye
Even a well-planned teleconference can go poorly. Some people treat
any meeting as a casual social activity instead of as a serious business
project. And a teleconference brings special challenges because people
attend them in the privacy of their office without being able to see or be
seen by the other participants.
Use these techniques to hold a more effective meeting by phone.
1) Begin with a quick round of self introductions so that everyone can find
out who
is present and hear everyone else's voice.
2) Enforce the rule of "one speaker at a time." Multiple conversations ruin
a
teleconference.
3) Insist that people announce when they join or leave the conference.
4) If people must leave during the meeting, gain closure on any issues that
they
participated in before they leave. For example, "Pat agreed to prepare a
cost
estimate by next Monday. Is that correct, Pat?" Make adjustments in the
agenda (if appropriate) based on the remaining participants.
5) Keep everyone focused on the issue being discussed. If someone introduces
an idea that seems unrelated, say, "That sounds interesting. How does that
relate tothe issue?"
6) Record the conference. First, this will help you prepare minutes. And
second, it encourages people to make meaningful comments. Of course, you
should announce that you are recording the meeting before you start.
7) State your name each time that you speak. This helps everyone know that
you are speaking.
8) If you are speaking on your desk phone, use the handset instead of the
speakerphone. A speakerphone, while useful, distorts your voice, picks up
background sounds (like office equipment), and makes a poor impression on
the
listener. If you must have both hands free while you talk, obtain a headset.
Note: It is more courteous to speak to people through the handset (instead
of the
speakerphone) on any phone call.
9) Speak clearly to make sure that you are understood. Take the extra effort
to
enunciate carefully and speak slowly. Of course, you want to sound natural.
10) When stating numbers, write them out while you speak because that
defines the rate at which everyone else is capturing them.
11) Then ask the receiving party to confirm numbers (or other critical data)
by
repeating them. Although this may seem awkward, it prevents
misunderstandings. Better yet, send written copies of all critical
information.
12) When possible, plan your statements by jotting down an outline of your
key
ideas before speaking. This contributes to a more efficient meeting, helps
you
appear more thoughtful, and avoids the embarrassment of making a verbal
gaff.
13) Use your best, most focused listening skills. Pay attention to content,
as well as inflections, voice tone, word selection, emphasis, assumed
intentions, and your intuition.
14) Avoid shuffling papers, moving about, or tapping objects. Everyone else
will
hear the noise. It's distracting and irritating.
15) Reinforce accomplishments by distributing copies of key ideas and
agreements during the meeting. You can send these, for example, by e-mail or
fax.
16) Stay fully present during the meeting. Avoid working on other tasks,
such as
reading mail or filing papers. These reduce your ability to participate
intelligently in the meeting.
17) Avoid using the mute button to talk to someone in your office during the
audioconference. First, this shows discourtesy to both parties - the person
in your office and the people in the teleconference. It also takes your
attention away from the meeting, causing you to miss important information.
And be warned that people have found themselves in serious trouble when the
mute button failed.
18) Prepare minutes soon after the meeting. Send a draft to key participants
to
confirm that your notes accurately describe the results of the meeting.
Minutes
should be released within a day or two after the meeting in order to be
useful. After that, they become stale.
Properly conducted, teleconferences contribute to the efficiency of
effective
business. Use the above techniques to make sure your meetings do that.
About the author:
IAF Certified Professional Facilitator and author Steve Kaye helps groups of
people hold effective meetings. His innovative workshops have informed and
inspired people nationwide. His facilitation produces results that people
will support. And his books show how to hold effective meetings. Sign up for
his free newsletter at
http://www.stevekaye.com. Call 714-528-1300 or visit his web site for
over 100 pages of valuable ideas.
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Karen Porter, The Administrative Professional Job Performance and Career Success Coach™