Success is a Phone Call Away
Your success is a phone call away, if handle properly. Communicating with integrity can go a long way in building friendships in both your personal and business life. Have you ever promised someone that you would return their call or follow up on a certain date? Did you follow through on your promise? It may seem like no big deal to blow off someone, because you were not interested in what they had to offer, but it is. You may have even blown off a friend thinking it was not a big deal, when in fact you were taking them for granted.
The truth is when you promise to return a phone call or set any type of follow-up communication date whether you follow through or not says a lot about your integrity and professionalism. It also gives insight into your work ethic. Here is an example:
I met with the gentleman at a city organization. We agreed on a specific follow-up date. I kept my promise by following up on the exact date we agreed upon. When I called, he did not answer the phone, so I left a message. Because there was no answer when I called, thinking he was not available at that time and that he would eventually return my call, as promised, I felt confident in leaving a message. Unfortunately, he never bothered to keep his end of the promise. Having been in sales for years, this was not the first time I encountered this situation. However, I did not take his lack of professionalism personally, but I concluded two things: 1. He was not a man of his word. This demonstrated a lack of integrity. 2. He was not the professional I thought he was. This took away from his credibility.
Although, this frequently happens in business, it is extremely unprofessional. Sometimes people do not return calls because they do not know how to respond. They are not sure how to reject an offer or to shared that they have changed their mind. There is nothing wrong with rejecting an offer nor is there anything wrong with changing your mind. However, not responding at all, speaks to the quality of that person’s character and openly reveals how they handle challenges.
There are proper ways to decline an offer or to say “no” to a business person or a friend and still establish and maintain respect. If done properly, you may create a stronger business relationship or personal relationship with your friend. The objective is to communicate with respect and to keep the door open for future business or a deeper friendship connection. How you handle situations make the difference between getting referrals and building a respectable business image. You can set the tone to have people speak for your professionalism or against your professionalism, integrity and credibility.
Returning phone calls and treating people with respect is becoming a lost art. The key is to learn what to say and how to handle returning those calls. If you make the decision to be a professional and not shy away from the tough calls, you will set yourself, your business and your personal connections on the fast track to success.
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Pat Council is a Speaker and Goal Achievement Strategist who teaches people across the world strategies for taking take their visions of achievement and success from being a thought or a wish to making them a reality. She is the author of several books to include her newest book Start Winning – How to Achieve Like the Top 8 Percent. She is the host of the popular podcast, Designing Your Life Today.