During the Meeting

Have people state their names – Where appropriate, say your name before you speak, and ask others to do the same. Try not to let them present a long introduction of themselves – it will distract.

Interrupt when necessary – you may not want people to talk for a long time. In a teleconference, the chair sometimes has to politely interrupt: “Stephen, can you quickly summarise your points?” or “Lydia, we’re running out of time on this topic, so please make the point, if you can.”

After the person has finished, it can be wise to thank the speaker, and make a positive connection between his or her statements and the topic under discussion. This way, you show respect for their contribution.

Allow everyone to speak – It is easy for some people to listen to a teleconference without contributing, so be sure to call on everyone. Try to keep your teleconferences to a reasonable number of people. Eight or ten participants can be a sensible maximum, unless you’re running a session like a teleseminar, where one speaker is talking for much of the time.

Be calm – Sometimes a discussion can get out of control, with everyone speaking at once. It’s unhelpful when people – including you – start shouting to be heard. Speak in a calm voice, and ask for order. Repeat your request as many times as necessary. Eventually, the group should settle down.

Take minutes – Record the proceedings or assign someone to take minutes. It is important to have this documentation. If someone takes minutes, check periodically during the meeting to be sure that she is keeping up. Tell the participants that you (or someone) is taking notes and there may be a short delay before going on to the next item.