Have you had the experience when you call someone that they are rushed or rude to you? Have you ever felt like you interrupted someone even though they were expecting your call?
Even though we know that there is no possible way to know what the person on the other end of the phone is doing when we call, we can feel bad, rushed or uncomfortable.
When I make a phone call whether they are expecting it or not, I always start the phone call the same way:
Person 1: Hello
Michelle: Hello Person 1. I am Michelle DeBerge, how are you doing today?
Person 1 : Hello Michelle, pretty good and you?
Michelle: Great. I know we said we would get in touch
this week. Is this a good time to talk?
That one question allows them to decide if they can or want to have a conversation in that moment. If they choose that they cannot and are busy, then thank them and ask them when would be a good time. We all know that sometimes life gets in our way and things unexpectedly come up.
Most people don’t realize that they are being short or rude as they try to multi task and have a conversation. Yet when this happens, they cannot possibly really listen to what you have to say. It is much better to just reschedule the call and not take it personally.
Stop those hostile or uncomfortable conversations by always asking if this is a good time to talk. Set up the perimeters to the conversation so that the best communication occurs. This also works in person!