How does your firm handle internal communication? If you currently use or are thinking of using conference calls, maybe it’s time to reconsider.

One idea out there is to take a Twitter-like approach to calls and meetings – keep it short, to the point and relevent. 140 characters may not work but these ideas might help:

• Always have an agenda and keep to it
• Set ground rules for asking questions, changing topics, adding comments
• Ask participants to prepare in advance on specific topics
• Stay on task and on time – most meetings meet their expiration at 1 hour

Maybe the best advise is to reconsider having that meeting or conference call. If the meeting doesn’t solve a problem or improve a situation, why have it at all?

There’s a good article on this topic, “Why Conference Calls Should be More Like Twitter” from the Incidental Economist. Maybe short and sweet could work for you. Take a quick read and see if it doesn’t influence how you manage conference calls and group communication.