Winding Down
Admittedly, I have been told on multiple occasions that I "give bad phone." I'm abrupt when I want to hang up, and my pacing is off. Grrrl. I find this quite ironic given that my communication skills are pretty excellent when it comes to my writing and face-to-face conversations. But for whatever reason, I suck at the phone.
Believing in self-improvement, I have been working on this little "problem" of mine. I tried role play in therapy once (awful.) I listen to other people when they get off the phone (can be considered weird.) Sometimes I say fuck it and just resort back to the bad habit (enjoyable at times.)
Frankly, I think there should be a phrase that everyone should use when they want to get off the phone (they might be tired, bored, 24 could be coming on TV) that wouldn't offend anyone. It should be universal: when the phrase is said, you have 60 seconds to wind down the call and get off.
Any suggestions?
Believing in self-improvement, I have been working on this little "problem" of mine. I tried role play in therapy once (awful.) I listen to other people when they get off the phone (can be considered weird.) Sometimes I say fuck it and just resort back to the bad habit (enjoyable at times.)
Frankly, I think there should be a phrase that everyone should use when they want to get off the phone (they might be tired, bored, 24 could be coming on TV) that wouldn't offend anyone. It should be universal: when the phrase is said, you have 60 seconds to wind down the call and get off.
Any suggestions?
posted by Does Debbie @ 11:41 AM
2 Comments:
At 12:17 PM,
Tracy said…
I hate talking on the phone. Find myself always talking over the other person... I cannot interpret pauses in conversation and instead take it to mean that I am supposed to talk now to fill what I perceive to be awkward silence. So I don't call people much, I try to email as much as possible and love my IM. But when I do get on the phone, I usually try the old "it was so great talking to you. let's make a plan to hang out soon. i'll give you a call." In other words, lie!
At 5:41 PM,
Chris said…
I'm a defensive talker. I allow the other person to ask the questions and come up with topics of conversation, and I respond to them. If the situation calls for it, I'll bounce their question back to them.
"How was my weekend? It was OK...saw some movies, slept a little. How was your weekend?"
When most people ask that question, they really just want you to ask it back.
Here's a trick I use when I'm trapped talking to someone-since I'm usually on the cell phone (I don't really remember my home phone number), I'll just hang up on the person and then turn my phone off. The next time I talk to them, I say "Yeah I know, your call got dropped and I wasn't able to get service in that area. Sorry."
Suggestion to end the call quickly: "I have to go. Literally, I ate some bad Chinese and I have explosive diarrhea." With any luck, they'll never call back.
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