There are few things I am certain of in my life, and my hatred for making phone calls and picking up the phone are among two of them. My parents and my brother will be the first to agree with that statement, and so will anybody having lived in the same place as me with a connected landline telephone nearby. I won't go as far as saying that I would not pick up my mobile phone when it's ringing (because hey, who knows maybe someone is calling to tell me that I have won Rs 1,000, 000? Or well maybe not) but I don't know why, fixed-line has never been my thing.
So, when my mentor gave me a list of people to call, I was suddenly on the defensive mode and definitely not ready for that kind of commitment. In more sincere words, my inner self was practically crying her eyes out (see image below for an accurate visual representation of how I felt).
But then, what could I do? Saying, "Sorry ma'am, I just don't like making phone calls, could you do it yourself?" would not have been a smart move. Especially if you consider the fact that she was the boss and I was the trainee. With the little willingness left in me and a strong sense of duty, I picked up the phone and looked at the flow of numbers on the paper she gave me, praying they would magically disappear. I fumbled through my first phone call, the second wasn't brilliant either. My usual high-pitched voice would turn into an inaudible flow of words once the phone was anywhere near my face. By the time I made a fool of myself after the fourth phone call, I knew I had to take the matter under control ASAP.
I realised that after each phone calls' disaster, I would replay the conversation in my head but in a version where I would have introduced myself correctly, spoken clearly and audibly, and given all the necessary information to the receiver. So, I decided to write down what I needed to say to the receiver along with some answers to the potential questions which might come up. I have to say that it turned out to be one of the greatest ideas I had. As by the time I struck through the last name on the list, I have gained much more confidence and conversation would flow without me giving a glance to the 'talking points' I have scribbled down earlier. I could now handle the phone calls with much more ease than before and though I'm still not a big fan of making phone calls or picking up the phone, I have learnt how to deal with them and make better phone calls.
This to say that this little experience has made me realised that I would not always be given the tasks I am most fond of. At times, I would have to deal with the most unpleasant tasks, things which I may totally dislike. But then I can't just turn my back on the things I don't like, instead I would have to take a step back, look at the big picture and try to come up with the best way to deal with it. As with every problem comes a solution!
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| At the office, with the laptop PwC lent me for my internship and with my PwC notebook. |
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| The cubicles at PwC, and at the far left is one of the meeting room |
And you fellow interns, were you given tasks you weren't a big fan of? Share your story with me!
Elizabeth.
P.S: I'm going to hire a secretary once I become a PR professional. Maybe two? In case one got sick and can't come to office.
Elizabeth.
P.S: I'm going to hire a secretary once I become a PR professional. Maybe two? In case one got sick and can't come to office.
2 comments:
Hi Millie, I understand the frustration so very well!
And Guess what? I did the exact same thing, and jotting down points of the conversation-to-be is the best tool.
I even found out that when i eventually felt comfortable after a few phone calls, I was still glancing back at my paper from time to time for reassurance.
The worst part is seeing your colleges as the supreme master communicators that they are and that you long to be.
It seems that the more it goes, the more our internships are challenging. I do hope it goes well for you.
Ps. Two P.As is such a great goal , i'm definitely stealing that idea (: x
Hi Millie,
I must admit, I can relate 100% to this blog post. Phone calls have always been a nightmare for me. During the few first days of my internship, I remember one of my colleague left her place and told me to pick up the phone if it rang. My first thought was "Oh no" and my second thought was "If it rings, I can just pretend I can't hear it."
I think writing down what to say before making a phone call is quite helpful; I have been doing it myself. It makes much more easier once you pick up the phone and talk. One of my worst/most memorable phone call experience at work was when I was talking to a woman in French and I was asked to speak in Mauritian Creole. Horrifying for someone that never speaks in Mauritian Creole. I think I was embarrassed for the rest of the day.
I do think however that this internship has helped in becoming more confident about picking up the phone. I'm sure with some practice, we will all become professional phone call makers.
Stacey x
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