After a not-so-great meeting you've likely heard the expression, "This could have been an email!"
And yup, there are definitely times when certain meetings should have been emails. But what about those
times when emails should have and could have been a phone call? I think we need to add the phrase, "this email could have been a phone call" to remind us of the power of picking up the phone and having a conversation with someone in real time, rather than boomeranging endlessly back and forth with a gazillion emails.
Some of you might be thinking I'm a confused time
traveler from the 1990s. I mean, not even a Zoom meeting? How about a text message? Why not just send a fax? (Okay, now you're just being silly and mocking me.)
But consider how picking up the phone can build a deeper connection, minimize miscommunication, help you stand out with your customers, and most importantly perhaps save you the frustration and time of an endless email
ping pong match.
So, to paraphrase Billy Crystal in my favorite romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally, "Don't be afraid to just phone someone!"
Mike's Fun at Work Tip
A fun meeting icebreaker question to ask everyone: "If you won a Gold Medal for a unique skill or talent you have, what would it be for?"
Deep Thought of the Week
"Was it really a bad day, or was it a bad five minutes that you milked all day?" (Source unknown)
Funny Business
As seen on a grocery store aisle sign:
AISLE 7
CEREAL
OATMEAL
LOST SPOUSE
CANDY
PANCAKE MIX
SYRUP
The cool thing about this idea (which has spread to many stores) is that couples actually use it as way to find one another in a big store after they separate! (Although seriously, not having it located in the spice aisle seems like a missed opportunity.)
Cost-Saving Opportunities to Book Michael
Kelowna/Penticton: June dates
New Brunswick: June 19-27
Toronto: July 1-6
Toronto: September 1-7
Quebec City: September 24-26
Edmonton: October 1-3
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