As a member of the internet generation, I view the telephone with the same level of suspicion and fear as a 14th century pike-man gazing at a barrel of gunpowder. It's a nasty, potentially dangerous thing that I understand on a basic level but deeply distrust as part of some deeply wired fight-or-flight responsive behavior. 

But, since you can't hold meetings through text messages, the phone (or more often a phone-like facsimile on the computer) is a necessary tool for everyday business life. As is the dreaded teleconference. 

I used to hate teleconferences. The combined "joys” of a phone conversation and a meeting at once? There was a time I'd rather have a root canal. But, much of that anxiety was the byproduct of poor planning and and expectation setting. With the right groundwork, teleconferences don't have to be another unenviable chore on your to-do list, but a productive and efficient method of communication. 

It's much easier to be on the same page when everyone has a copy of it. This is often referred to as having an agenda (I personally try to avoid that word since it reminds me of campus orientations, emotionally scarring "vacations,” and a graveyard of calendar notepads I've purchased and lost over the years, but it is what it is). Maybe this seems obvious or unnecessary, but if you've ever been in a trainwreck teleconference where four people have connected to discuss four different topics, you'll know why its useful.

A good agenda should establish a few things. Who exactly is going to be involved in the conversation so there is no confusion ("do we need to wait for Paul? Maybe I'll call him, hold on...” Ugghhh). It should tell everyone what the main topics of conversation are going to be, why you're having a meeting. It should explain the general format of the meeting, if any materials are necessary, how you'll be sharing them if so, etc. And the goal of the meeting, what you hope to accomplish with it by the end. 

I can't stress that last part enough. Teleconferences that are held under the dubious idea that they just should be held without a clear intention behind them are the ones that turn into nightmares of static-filled silence and awkward stalling. Know who is going to be there, why your holding a meeting, and what you want to know before everyone hangs up.

Everyone got their agenda? Great, now sketch out your questions. Try to think of your teleconferences like mini-interviews. Yes, natural interactions are going to steer the conversation one way or another, but you should have a list of questions (or topics, ideas, notes) in hand before going in. Maybe some of these will be addressed naturally, maybe some won't be necessary, but part of the beauty of knowing what you'll be talking about in advance is anticipating concerns and being ready for them.

Questions aren't just good for getting answers, they also spur interaction. Questions invite input from other people and facilitate communication. I mean, that's why you're having a meeting right? To communicate. If a teleconference is just one person going on for more than half an hour straight, you might as well just record it and send it out as an MP3 for everyone to listen to on the ride home. 

Do everything you can from your end to make sure the meeting goes smoothly. Check your mic and settings from time to time to make sure they're working well. Keep your programs updated and ready so no one is stuck waiting for ten minutes while you install and reboot. 

Technical issues will crop up, it's just the reality of getting a half dozen people together over the miracle of modern networking. If possible, anticipate common issues and be ready to play tech-support. If it isn't something that can be worked out quickly, either acknowledge it and work around it, or reschedule the meeting. No productive work was ever accomplished while dealing with feedback sequel or with a key member of the meeting constantly dropping in-and-out of existence every few minutes. 

Remember, communication is always the goal. Teleconferences are just a vaguely futuristic way of holding a normal conversation (hopefully in 50 years we'll be holding them in an authentically futuristic way, "laser-comms,” or "mindwave telegraphs,” something in that ballpark). Communicate like a human.

You wouldn't walk into an office without a clear idea of what you plan on talking about. You wouldn't sit across a table from a group of people and expect them to only listen to you lecture without saying anything. And you wouldn't hold a conversation next to a jackhammer or in a burning building. Take away the artifice of the computer and fancy apps and focus on the goal – having a conversation. With that in mind, everything should fall in place.