“When it’s important, I pick up the phone”. I think most of
us can attest to this statement, although some of us may have different
interpretations of what’s “phone call worthy” in their life. To me, it’s pretty simple, and here’s a short
list of personal situations I encounter when a phone call is the only solution.
If written
communication presents the opportunity for misinterpretation: I’m sure most people can recall a time
when an email or text message they sent wasn’t well received, or got blown out
of proportion. The recipient either
misinterpreted what you were saying, or possibly, a grammatical or punctuation
error made it seem like you were saying something you weren’t. I’ve been on both ends of this spectrum, and
although both incidents turned out to be minor, they were both stressful,
unwanted, and time consuming.
In the situation where I misinterpreted the email, I was
left feeling angry and rattled. What
seemed like a condescending and disrespectful email, turned out to be
completely innocent. Although things
between us are fine now, there was a time when the email caused tension in our
relationship and took energy on both our parts to rebuild our relationship to
its previous level.
When the issue is
time sensitive: If I need an answer
and I need it now, a phone call is the only method of communication I’ll use if
I can’t walk up to the person and talk face to face. In business and in life, there are situations
that are extremely time sensitive.
Whether you’re trying to close a deal, meet a deadline, or find the
answer to an important question, picking up the phone and making a call is the
easiest way to get things done.
Picking up the phone is also more convenient for the person
you are calling in these situations.
Instead of having to spend time writing and proof reading an email, the
person you call can simply provide you with the information you need and move
on. Win-win for everyone!
When the person is
important to me: This example
relates more to personal life than business, but it’s still applicable in many
situations. If someone is important to
me, I want to hear their voice. I want
to hear them laugh, I want to hear the expression in their voice, and I want to
be in a situation where there is an opportunity to enjoy my conversation with
the other person. I think we can all
agree that an overdue phone call with an old friend, a lengthy conversation
with a new love interest, or exchanging a few jokes with a sibling is one of the
finer things in life. These moments help
us recognize how lucky we are to have meaningful relationships and how
important they are to foster. To me, a
phone call is the best way to enjoy these moments and it’s the main reason I
continue to use the telephone as my primary means of communication.
What’s the main reason you choose to pick up the phone?
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