Conference call protocol.

Tips for conducting a conference call still a convenient and efficient way to convene a small group.

Volunteer leaders these days do not lack communication options. With technology developing and refining new methods every day, often your biggest challenge is choosing which form of communication is best for the task at hand - as opposed to conducting business via the mechanism (phone, fax, e-mail, e-mail list) that happens to be a personal favorite.

When time is of the essence, the conference call remains one of the best ways to convene a small group in between face-to-face meetings. At the Society of American Archivsts, Chicago, we conduct from four to six board-related conference calls a year, and these usually involve a subset of the board or a committee. As executive director, I am usually but not always a participant, concentrating on those of most strategic importance.

Conducting an effective conference call requires old-fashioned thought and preparation. Regardless of how pressing the issue, it's as important to take the time to prepare for the discussion as it is to facilitate the process. By accomplishing both, a volunteer leader will earn appreciation and praise from members for using their time efficiently and well.

Preparation

1. Decide who's in on the call. The first thing you need to consider is who should participate in the call. Usually conference calls address a specific issue that requires discussion leading to consensus. Think about including members who hold information relevant to the topic at hand. This may or may not include the obvious participants. You will also want to include key representatives from constituencies potentially affected by the outcomes resulting from the call.

2. Establish a clear set of desired outcomes. Ask yourself these kinds of questions:

* Is this call necessary?

* Can the issue wait?

* If not, what needs to occur as a result of our discussion?

* How quickly?

* Who should be involved?

* What will be the chief result?

3. Create and distribute an agenda. Once you have the rationale and desired outcome firmly established, develop an agenda and either fax or mail it to participants well in advance of the call, if at all possible. Remember to include clear instructions about how to dial into the call.

All meetings, regardless of how they are convened, require an agenda. Don't try to cover too much ground. Keep the topic tightly focused, communicate your desired outcomes, and give each major agenda item a time limit. Cover minor items up front so that you may quickly move to items of substance. Conclude the agenda with next steps, which can be agreed upon at the conclusion of the call.

Facilitation 

Remember that a conference call is a cross between a face-to-face meeting and a telephone conversation. You will therefore need to draw on a number of skills. For example, similar to a face-to-face meeting, greet participants as they "check in," and engage those who are waiting for the quorum in small talk. Hold logistical and substantive topics until everyone is on line.

Designate a timekeeper and note taker. Once you have a quorum, ask one participant to be the timekeeper and another to take notes. You will, of course, take notes yourself, but having additional help will keep you focused on facilitation rather than dictation.

Ask members to identify themselves each time they speak. Because participants can't actually see one another, self-identification ultimately makes the discussion flow more easily. Ifa member forgets to identify himself or herself, take it upon yourself to make the identification as quickly and as unobtrusively as possible.

Call on the silent. Lack of visual clues can easily result in people stepping in on each other's conversation or, more likely, in one or two members dominating the discussion. It's up to you to provide balance and to call upon those who remain quiet. You will need to ascertain whether their silence is the result of agreement, disagreement, or shyness.

Poll each member. It's up to you to solicit full participation. If you take a vote, register each participant. In fact, poll each member each time you reach a decision point. Bottom line, never assume.

Watch the clock. As in any meeting, work with your timekeeper. Groups naturally gravitate toward less difficult issues, which can quickly waste valuable time. Keep the discussion moving toward substantive issues and outcomes.

Consider alternatives for difficult Issues. You may discover that the more difficult issues cannot be resolved on the telephone. If the group cannot reach consensus or engages in a heated disagreement, it may well be that a conference call is not the best communication mechanism for that particular issue. Acknowledge that fact and either give members time to reflect and eventually convene a second call or, if necessary, find another way to meet and work things out.

Review assignments and close positively. End the call on a positive note, then reiterate the tasks and deadlines and the individuals assigned to carry them out. Congratulate your colleagues on their fine work, and thank them for their time.

Follow-up

As soon as the call is complete, prepare the to-do list with the deadlines and designees and send it out immediately. Within the week, if not sooner, gather your notes from the call and summarize the proceedings for all participants. Most of us tend to quickly forget what we say and promise to do, so this point can't be emphasized strongly enough.

It also helps to solicit feedback about how participants viewed the usefulness of the call. Did it accomplish its aims? Are there areas in which you can improve your facilitation skills? Most of us are tinaware of our own telephone habits, and this kind of feedback can be enormously helpful.

Susan Fox is executive director of the Society of American Archivists, Chicago. E-mail: [e-mail].