Ding! “Annoying Has Joined the Meeting.”
February 23, 2014
Let’s face it: conference calls suck.
All jokes about corporate
tedium aside, conference calls are not an effective means of
communication. In theory, they allow people to collaborate efficiently from
multiple locations. In reality, they actively work against human nature.
Anywhere from 55 to 93 percent
of all communication is non-verbal; it’s the smiles, winks, sighs,
distracted texting and window-gazing that let us know what people really
think—or when they’ve tuned out. Our brains are so hardwired to detect and
interpret these silent signals that total strangers can pick up our
moods in a manner of seconds … without us ever speaking a
single word.
Simply seeing
business colleagues is insufficient, as any user of Skype or video conferencing
can attest. Unless you’re a phrenologist, there’s little to gain from staring
at someone’s forehead during a business conversation (yes, it’s great for
children saying “hi” to nana and papa). Until video technology lets us look
each other squarely in the eyes, it will suck only a little less than a
conference call for complex conversations.
Forget too expensive video systems that put the entire
conference room in a fish-bowl perspective. They are only marginally better at facilitating group discussions.
There is always a blind spot where participants can hide, they require an
investment in hardware and set up, and even then, we need get over the
self-consciousness of staring at ourselves. And since everyone works
remotely—whether from home, a branch office, the airport or the beach—productivity declines
if we can only effectively video conference when we are all in a room together.
The phone may not be perfect, but it’s a far better alternative
than endless emails, or giving
in to organizational attention
deficit disorder.
A few tips to make
conference calls more effective:
1. Manage expectations. Don’t assume
that conversation will flow naturally. In fact, don’t assume that everyone
knows the agenda or expects a “conversation” in the traditional sense, with
back and forth, give and take. A conference call requires more structure to be productive.
Once you accept the limitations of the medium and reset expectations, you will
have a more effective call.
2. Set a clear agenda and reiterate it at the beginning
of the call. It may sound like managing the minutiae, but the alternative is
awkward silences, unprepared participants and a giant waste of time. On the
flip side, the call is not an “open mic” for anyone to pile on their issues
while everyone is assembled. An agenda will Focus the
conversation, hitting that sweet spot between deep concentration and “anything
goes” where creativity and problem solving happen.
3. Go around the horn. This is my
personal favorite and a tactic I use on almost every call. Take a minute
partway through the conversation and invite each person—by name—to offer his or
her thoughts so far.
The intention is
not to put anyone on the spot. In fact, you can give ample warning that
everyone will be called on to participate.
Going “around the horn”
gives everyone the opportunity to contribute. End the call with the same
tactic: “Mike, anything we missed or should cover before we close out this
issue? Bob?” Everyone gets the ball for a minute, and can toss it to the next
participant.
Finally, use your face time wisely. Yes, conference
calls suck. But they are a necessary evil. If you can’t avoid them, you owe it
to your team to make your more useful, valuable and infrequent in-person
meetings as purposeful as possible.
Complex issues,
strategic planning, sensitive conversations and even good ol’ fashioned
free-ranging conversations over a good meal and perhaps infused with the fruit
of the vine are all better when done in person.
HighTower sets aside two multi-day meetings every year so our advisor partners can
spend time together, discuss best practices and build the culture
that is a clear differentiator in our space. This year, we’ve earmarked three
more days for innovation, bringing together the best minds in the
industry to reimagine what financial services means for both its practitioners
and their clients.
Maybe we won’t
solve for toxic conference calls, but we’ll certainly get more accomplished
without the incessant chime announcing every new arrival.
Elliot S. Weissbluth is the Chief Executive Officer of HighTower, an industry leading financial
services firm offering a unique platform that blends objective wealth
management advice with innovative technology. Our dedication to transparency in
wealth management for investors and comprehensive support for independent advisors
sets us apart.
