Comments on: Poison Phrase: I get more calls on my day off

By: Charlotte

Charlotte — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 18:26:00 +0000

Kevin do you trust yourselfe. You made a commitment to yourself not to pick up the telephone or return calls. If the people you deal with know your unable to be honest to yourself they will probably know your easy to be controlled and when you leave messages your not in and answer the telephone the people will assume what you say is not to be respected or valued.
The first principle in all our relationships is to thine own self be true. “A matter of integrity.”

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 18:23:31 +0000

Sounds like Kevin has difficulty saying “No” to people, or setting boundaries. This is a common phenomena among people of a certain age - brought up to believe their own life should always be secondary to everyone else’s. No one who works at achieving a healthy balance between their work life and private life should ever have to apologize for doing what is right for them in the process of making a living, or in the process of living their life. There are a multitude of tools available to help us manage our communications. Caller ID. Answering machines. Electronic receptionist services. Email. We just have to give ourselves permission to use them. And we don’t have to lie to do it.

By: merylrunion

merylrunion — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 17:05:57 +0000

Yep - I agree - Kevin sent an indirect message by commenting on his call volume on off days, and a false message by calling it a day off. Either way he fails the SpeakStrong test. I will say I know Kevin and he has many redeeming qualities. (Like letting me post abut him.)(

By: Marilyn Young

Marilyn Young — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 20:08:16 +0000

Kevin should indicate on his voicemail that he is not available on Wednesday and that he will return calls when he returns to the office. By answering the phone, Kevin has let people know he is in the office and will be taking calls.
Another way to handle the calls that come in on Wednesday would be to let them go to voicemail and choose a couple times during the day to return the urgent ones and leave the rest for Thursday.

By: Carol Haynes

Carol Haynes — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 19:12:32 +0000

I would question the integrity of “day off”. (also I wonder how many he has told that he is really in his office, or would rather just leave a message.)Better that he should say that he has an appointment and will return at a certain time, then do his paperwork and not answer the phone during the time span. If he is tempted to ocassionally take a call, at least he has an out -appointment cancelled, shortened.