Slow Down..... Listen and Read
How many times has someone asked your availability via an e-mail for a meeting or a phone meeting and after you respond with the days/times you're available, they ask you for a date/time you indicated you were NOT available?
I don't know about you, but I find this to be extremely annoying and a waste of precious time. If I have clearly told someone the times/days I'm available, why would they even ask to schedule a meeting on the one day of the week I said I was not available? This happens more often than I would like and it is why I am writing about it today.
Recently, I hired a new contractor to work on a project for our business. My first e-mail exchange was to find a time the two of us could meet for a phone meeting. I clearly outlined the days I was available to meet and then the e-mail I received asked me for time on the one day of the week I was out of the office! I responded by cutting and pasting my original availability in the e-mail.
How much time did this waste on both of our behaves? Too much....and it was completely avoidable.
Everyone is in such a hurry today that I think we've forgotten how to read and listen before we respond.
We could all help everyone out that we communicate with if we slow down, listen and read BEFORE we respond. Ensure that you're answering all questions before you hang up or press send and that will help eliminate voicemail tag or an endless e-mail thread.
In the end, everyone wins and saves time - not to mention it will show how organized you are!
Make it a Productive Day,
Laura Leist, CPO
Productivity Consultant, Speaker & Author
Recently, I hired a new contractor to work on a project for our business. My first e-mail exchange was to find a time the two of us could meet for a phone meeting. I clearly outlined the days I was available to meet and then the e-mail I received asked me for time on the one day of the week I was out of the office! I responded by cutting and pasting my original availability in the e-mail.
How much time did this waste on both of our behaves? Too much....and it was completely avoidable.
Everyone is in such a hurry today that I think we've forgotten how to read and listen before we respond.
We could all help everyone out that we communicate with if we slow down, listen and read BEFORE we respond. Ensure that you're answering all questions before you hang up or press send and that will help eliminate voicemail tag or an endless e-mail thread.
In the end, everyone wins and saves time - not to mention it will show how organized you are!
Make it a Productive Day,
Laura Leist, CPO
Productivity Consultant, Speaker & Author
