Eleven Tips for Better Conference Calls was a post on WorkSnug, a UK-based blog for the mobile worker. Out of the eleven I thought four were particularly good for anyone communicating or collaborating via phone from their home office.
These steps are not limited to conference calls. You can use these techniques in any one-to-one task-focused business call. These techniques are professional and productive.
Unprepared for your conference call? You may look like this and sound even worse
- Use the power of your voice. Stand up for important discussions. You sound more focused and authoritative when you stand while speaking. Use this technique when speaking on the telephone. Side benefit: You will feel more authoritative standing when speaking.
- Send a pre-call email to all participants: Outline the agenda, list goals and include any material they need to read beforehand. This will not only assure that everyone is on the same page, it will insure a more successful call because others will be prepared.
- Keep to the agenda and the timeframe: Be focused in your discussion and guide the contributions of others. They will appreciate your achieving the goals of the telephone meeting and your respect of their time.
- Close the call with a clear summing up: Restate the topics covered, the decisions made, next steps and who will execute them. Follow-up with an email summary, emphasizing action steps and when they are due.
The same techniques of leading a meeting apply to telephone meetings, whether it is with many people or a single individual. Plan ahead, establish the tone and goals of the meeting or call, stay focused and summarize at the end. You’ll look more professional to your clients and will be more productive.
Video conferencing? Read these posts on
How to Avoid Video Conference Bloopers or, Pardon your home office is showing.
Photo by Rochelle, just Rochelle
