Structure and organization are two key ingredients for the success of any business. Many businesses establish weekly conference call routines which significantly helps to obtain this optimal level of structure and organization. Weekly conference calls add structure and organization that are vital to your company’s success.  These weekly conference calls give you and your participants a chance to step away from their usual work to discuss strategies that will allow for a more focused approach.

The Pareto Principle, named after economist Villfredo Pareto, states that about 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes.  This means that often people are using 80% of their work time inefficiently, and only 20% of the time is spent productively.  Eliminating wasted time should always be your goal when it comes to your business. Conference calls are the perfect way to bring people together to refocus their energy towards more productive and efficient approach to their work.

Determining the goals you wish to accomplish when planning your weekly conference calls is important.  Perhaps you need to catch up with your team members to get updates on their projects.  Another goal may be to interact with employees or co-workers who don’t regularly share their ideas with your team. A primary goal might be to inform clients of project plan changes and timeframes and answer any questions they may have.  Evaluating beforehand who will be actively participating on the call will help you determine your goals when planning your weekly conference calls.

When you have your main goals written down, it’s time to prepare your written agenda.  You can reach out to the conference attendees before the call to ask if they have any input in the formation of the agenda. You can then plan how long you would like to spend on each topic, making sure to leave time at the end of the call for questions participants may have. When you have finished forming your agenda, you should send it to the participants two or three days before the actual call so they can read it over and prepare any input they may have. Include instructions on how to dial-in to the conference and provide them with security codes if necessary.