Sanders Says - Give good phone

August 08, 2008

Give good phone

The mobile phone has not helped the quality of calls we make.

In fact, mobile phone conversations are usually pretty lame: choppy, distracted, banal and often interrupted. When someone calls me, and they are ordering a burger as they talk to me, it is not a very good experience.

Over the last year or so, I’ve decided to stop making important calls on the run. When I want to give good phone, I shut down my laptop, spend a few minutes collecting my thoughts…then I call someone on my phone and totally concentrate on that call.

The results? Much more gets accomplished and the listener can sense your attention and respect for them. I know we are all busy, and feel like travel time is perfect phone time – but it is not. Working on time management may do more for you than cramming phone calls into driving, shopping or some other mobile activities.

I believe that the quality of our conversations determines the quality of our relationships and business life. They provide the nutrition that feeds both. So why would you eat ‘fast phone’?

Posted at 8:44 AM in Business Effectiveness , Relationship Management | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

Comments

Very good post. I think that multi-tasking has it's place, but is very overused in modern society. In fact I seldom even carry a cell phone any more.

Posted by: Business Resources | September 29, 2008 at 07:42 PM

Thank you. This is definitely more than a suggestion to set aside time for meaningful conversation. It is an important etiquette reminder. Who likes to feel like "filler"? Worst is when you, the recipient, has now engaged, believing that this was a valued conversation, only to have that discourse truncated when the caller has arrived at his or her location and is quite ready to disengage--"thank you very much"!. Hrumpf. That's what caller id is made for. If it's commuting time and I know that person's "time management" behaviors, I will not pick up. I will not knowingly become drive-through conversation.

Posted by: Diane Krause-Stetson | August 08, 2008 at 07:56 PM

I love this post!

Light-hearted yet straight to the point.

Have a great weekend!

Posted by: karim kanji | August 08, 2008 at 01:22 PM