Conducting conference calls

Conducting a conference call essentially is the same as conducting a meeting. The author writes the article assuming that the conference calls are audio only (no visual interface). Keeping this in mind, the main differences between conducting a conference call and conducting a face-to-face meeting are that: 1) the participants may live in geographically remote sites, 2) each participant must take special care to eliminate noise distractions, and 3) the moderator must keep the meeting on track because of the expense associated with using a conference bridge. The author shares tips for conducting effective conference calls and two conference call checklists designed to facilitate planning, execution, and follow-up.