There is a lot of responsibility on the line when organising and leading a conference call. As a result, the potential for things to go wrong is high, and if they do, it can cause problems with staff morale and customer relations.
To help mitigate this,
Here Are Some Tips And Tricks That Will Help You Conduct An Efficient And Effective Meeting:
Ask Participants To Be Prepared
It’s important that all participants come into the meeting ready to engage in productive discussion. If one person is late or unprepared, it can stall the entire meeting as others try to catch them up on the decisions made so far.
Eliminate Any Language Barriers With A Translator
Sometimes you’ll have someone on your conference call from a different country, which could present a challenge with language barriers. This is where it’s really handy to have an online free translator that can help bridge the gap during discussions.
Recap Key Points After Each Section
It’s important everyone has access to information presented throughout the session so ask the team to send out an email summarising their key thoughts and decisions after each section. You can then use these to kick off the next round of discussion.
Leave Time For Reflection
At the end of a conference call, leave about 5-10 minutes, in the end, to allow everyone on the call some time to reflect before hanging up. It allows people more time to process their thoughts and questions about what’s been discussed, which speeds up problem-solving later in the meeting.
Don’t Be Afraid Of Silence
There is nothing worse than talking over someone mid-sentence, and it comes across as rude, so let people finish when they are speaking. Silence doesn’t have to feel uncomfortable either; you can use it when considering your response or coming up with an answer, so don’t feel like you have to fill it.
Prioritise Time For Different People
Some team members may need more of your attention than others, so leave some chunks of the call dedicated to specific people and their questions. This is where it’s a real plus that everyone can dial in.
Use Visuals When Possible
If someone isn’t on the line dialling into the conference, try to use visual aids or photos during parts of the discussion that they would have been involved with. It keeps them engaged even if they’re not able to participate at that moment in time.
Don’t Be Afraid To Get Creative
The best calls are ones where you get everyone actively involved, so get creative with things like ice-breakers or other energisers. It can really help in building team spirit and engagement.
Bookend The Call With An Aim
By setting an outcome or goal before you begin, it will give everyone on the call a purpose when they join. Ask how the meeting went afterwards, too, to see what you could do better next time.
With these guidelines, you should be able to conduct efficient and effective conference calls for all your stakeholders. They can be especially useful if remote workers are involved, so don’t be afraid to use them!
