Supervisor Snacks

  The White Rabbit rushes through the classic book by C. S, Lewis, Through the Looking Glass, and worries about   being late.   "The hurrier I go the behinder I get", he says, and it has become a well-used lament for generations.   It’s a good reminder that we need to take our time for good results.   This is especially true when taking messages or overseeing employees in our industry. (Or probably any other.) Have you ever noticed that when you are rushing to take a message you seem to jump around unnecessarily in the message template?  Or that when you are talking with a client, you feel pressure to show how efficient you are, and end up leaving some critical piece of information out of your notes?  Or how about when you receive an email from your own supervisor and rush to answer it as though every nanosecond’s delay counted against you? Here is a good adage to remember.  The more critical a message of response is, the longer you should tak...

Do you apologize automatically? Even when it isn’t necessary?  Some of us say, “I’m sorry,” for things we shouldn’t be sorry about.  In our business saying you are sorry can come across as admitting guilt when wrongdoing has not been established. For instance, an angry caller explains that he left a message for George an hour ago, and he has not received a call back. Do you automatically begin by saying, “I’m sorry…”? That caller hears that you’re sorry and automatically believes that the reason George has not called him is because the answering service has done something wrong.  It is far more likely that George simply hasn’t had time to respond.  A study published in The European Journal of Social Psychology found that when people apologize excessively others see them as less competent, and less confident. If you are in a position of responsibility or authority “I’m sorry.” can be detrimental to your reputation, and your self-image. You feel worse about yoursel...