Outline Your Expectations:

• Ask Yourself--"What specific action do I want to take place as the result of this conference call?" Design your the structure of your meeting and agenda around this goal.



• Ask Your Callers--to review the agenda so that they will be prepared to address the issues you will be discussing.

Restate Your Goals:

• Perform a "roll call" at the end of the conference call, calling on each person by name, and asking them what goals they have set for themselves as a result of the discussion.

Ask for Feedback:

• During the Call--pause for a moment and ask someone to summarize what you've been discussing, and take a couple of questions.  You'll be able to tell right away if your message is not coming across clearly, and head off any problems before they occur.



• After the Call--distribute a feedback form for your participants to fill out.  This will help you clarify any issues that might still be confusing after the meeting.

Follow Up:

• Distribute meeting minutes as promptly as possible to remind everyone of the goals set and issues discussed.



• Address all "loose ends" in the agenda for the next meeting, so that you will be sure to know if someone's productivity on a project is falling behind.