Getting Over the Conference Call Blahs

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Do your conference calls feel like this for you:

What we know about conference calls?

Conference calls can be really boring and way too long! Human attention span is on average 8 seconds (apparently less than an average gold fish), so planning a long conference call just won’t work unless you know how to create virtual energy!
It is harder to build relationships and trust over the phone. 93% of face-to-face communication is non-verbal – if we can’t see the body language it is harder for us to trust what is being said and to build relationships.
Conference calls feel depersonalized. We think more about ourselves when we are sitting alone on a call than the team (virtually) around us. Perspective taking is a key strategy in influencing others. Conference calls (and also email) cause us to focus on ourselves more than the other person, making it far harder to understand their perspective.
We get less feedback telling us whether we have been heard and understood. As hard as it can be to stay engaged as a participant, it can be equally challenging to stay engaged as the speaker if you don’t have a way to get feedback on whether you are being heard. This is where head nods and smiles of a real audience are greatly missed!

So what can you, as the leader, do to make conference calls more bearable?

Choose the right topic and time for a conference call. Short and sweet, with pre-reads and quick discussions are best.
Plan extra time for relationship and trust building in virtual teams – allow time for introductions and small talk at the start of the call.
Use richer media in the initial stages to speed up relationship building, for example, face-to-face meetings where possible, or video-conferencing rather than telephone conferencing
Remind yourself to use perspective taking – what might be the key issues for others? Use your time to map the stakeholders on the call and listen for their perspective – this will also encourage more active listening.
Facilitate development of trust using socialization strategies such as virtual coffee breaks/online chat rooms, social conferencing via video
Stop and ask for feedback – ask for those virtual head nods
Be inclusive: if you haven’t heard from someone for a while, invite their viewpoint. If possible, make reference to why their view is valuable.

If you have additional insights, please share them with us.