Remote work in the United States has grown 159% in the last 12 years.

Organizing a remote team can be challenging and requires non-traditional methods like telephone meetings and video conferences. If you’re confronted by this, keep reading because here are some tips you can use in your telephone meeting.

Telephone Meeting

Using a telephone or computer to host meetings is becoming the new normal.

If you’re a remote manager, you may feel overwhelmed and miss the days when the entire team gathered in a conference room. Telephone meetings can be just as good as traditional meetings, and here’s how.

1. Be on Time

One of the biggest killers in a meeting via conference call is people not being on time. Make sure that you are on time and set the tone. A professional meeting requires professional behavior. It can be easy to delay or procrastinate if you are dealing with the distractions of a remote workspace.

2. Stick With the Agenda

In a conference call meeting, it can be more difficult to hear exactly what is being said. Sticking to an agenda helps keep not only the meeting on track but also helps the people attending your meeting catch what you’re saying. The brain is better prepared if a person already knows what’s going to be discussed.

Giving out the agenda before the meeting is a great way to let everyone prepare.

3. Make Sure Notes Are Taken

You can do this yourself, or you can designate someone to take the notes. After the meeting, have the notes distributed so that those who didn’t hear something can catch up. Being able to read the notes will also reduce the chance that someone will not speak up out of embarrassment.

4. Don’t Be Afraid to Move on

Pacing is crucial in a meeting. Concisely conveying information and moving to the next topic is appreciated by most attendees. This is especially true for a remote team who, unlike office workers, will have their entire routine disrupted by the meeting.

5. Where You Call From Is Important

Your surroundings will have a direct impact on the meeting. If there are loud noises or disruptions where you’re located, the meeting will be less successful. This will make it more difficult for you to manage an effective meeting. It could also result in costly miscommunications.

6. Planning, Organization, and Focus

Plan the meeting out and have a good idea of what you’re going to say before you say it. You can even send pictures of visual aids if you prepare them beforehand. Control costs and make sure you have a free conference call service for the meeting.

Success Will Become Easier

The more you’re involved in teleconference meetings, the better you will handle them.

A telephone meeting can seem strange and awkward at first to your entire team. Following these tips, every time will help build understanding and comfort with the process. Your meetings can even become more productive than traditional ones as long as you plan for success.

We hope this article helped you gather some ideas on how to manage a remote team. Before you leave, please consider taking a look around our website for other great reads.