1Conference Calls

By Peter Lindsay

Meeting BasicsConference Calls

2Conference Calls

It is a meeting

• Standard rules for attendees– be on-time– no phones– come prepared– listen– discuss– take effective notes

3Conference Calls

It is a meeting

• Standard rules for organiser– start on-time– have a purpose– invite the right people– publish an agenda– have a facilitator– sse the time effectively– have concrete actions– publish minutes– finish on-time

4Conference Calls

No multitasking

Even if you are at your desk you should not be trying to catch up on your email or otherwise working on something else.

You should be giving the meeting 100% of your attention.

5Conference Calls

No sub-meeting

Don’t put the call on mute this interrupts the natural flow of discussion and encourages people to make comments for the local audience excluding the rest of the call.

6Conference Calls

Know who is who

People joining the call should announce themselves as they join.

The first and perhaps second time each person speaks they should state their name but not every time.

7Conference Calls

Make it effective

Conference calls are more difficult. Everyone on the call needs to work extra hard to make sure the time is as effective as it could be.

8Conference Calls

Make it effective

Actively listen to what is being said, ask for clarification when necessary and discuss the points raised.

9Conference Calls

Use technology wisely

Have a really clear need before considering the use of video conferencing, desktop / document sharing tools, shared whiteboards, etc.

10Conference Calls

Conference Calls

It’s a meeting

No multitasking

No sub-meeting

Know who is who

Make it effective

Use technology wisely