Answer the phone
On any given day I pick up the phone to get back to a list of requests and . . . nothing. No one answers the phone any more, but is it good for us?
What are the stats?
Research reflects our lived experience of a diminishing number of calls with a recent BankMyCell survey of 1,200 millennials revealing that as many as 75% of participants do not answer phone calls. Surprisingly, respondents also admitted that they “most likely” would not even take calls from their friends (29%) or a family member (25%). Amazingly, three-quarters of all adults in the UK own smartphones, but 25% don’t use them to make calls at all.
And, it’s the workplace where the phone is faltering the most.
Why?
This phenomenon seems to have exploded since Covid. One reason, may be the growth of millennials, many of whom have been said to struggle with mental health, and have been dubbed the “anxious generation”. While research in Australia is scant, according to the pre-mentioned study, 81% of millennials in the US—now the largest living adult population—say they experience some level of anxiety before making a phone call. Four out of five people must prepare themselves for the conversation, anticipating challenges, objections or outright rejection beforehand. In other words, it’s a big effort.
Another reason some proffered is that it is actually about manners. Speaking on the telephone is apparently an ‘event’, and it is not that we want to avoid it – more, we just need to be sure that both parties have a chance to prepare for it.
Seriously!
Does it matter?
So do we need the phone? Well, I think the answer is yes.
So many of our communications are primarily delivered on one-way communication channels that hinder meaningful dialogue and back-and-forth questions. And heaven forbid handling buyer push back by text.
We miss out on the touch of the voice. Voice vibrates us. It hits the ear and the skin and brings positive energy We need something to hear and feel as well as just seeing written text, otherwise we are just not satisfying the senses.
I get a unique perspective on by working with people in a coaching environment. So, let me share a little secret. Those people who are the most successful in senior positions receive, make and return calls. I get calls from International CEOS, national C-suite and politicians at all hours, but somehow other can’t find the time.
I get it that we are all busy, but here are some tips that might make it easier to pick up the phone and move on.
Tips
- Recognise the psychology that manifests phone avoidance.
- Buy back time by not wasting efforts in pointless meetings without purpose.
- Have techniques to stop yourself and others from rambling interminably and wasting phone time.
- Have the right techniques to excuse yourself politely.
- Have a time-management system that makes sure you return calls.
- Plan your calls for the right time of day, usually mid-morning or mid-afternoon. When reaching your party, ask if this is a good time to talk.
- If you call someone you don’t know (or know well), clearly identify yourself and immediately state the reason for your call. Make sure to summarize your pertinent points after a long call.
- Finally, treat any business call just as you would an in-person meeting. Err on the side of formality; avoid sidebars, jargon or slang.
Let me know what you do to get the phone answered.
What I’ve been up to…
Box Hill Institute Leadership Forum
New pictures hung in my studio
SmartCompany | Three things you’re doing wrong when presenting, and
what to do instead
CEOWorld Magazine | Navigating the Snake Pit: Lessons in Crisis
Communication
Forbes Coaches Council | The Blueprint For Gravitas: Looking Beyond
Pitch, Pace And Volume For Voice
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Gravitas Masterclass Melbourne November 2024
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