By Jessekoeckhoven [CC0], from Wikimedia Commons
The thing about the national ‘Do Not Call’ List is that it’s focused on what you DON’T want: phone spam. Why not take the concept and flip it around to positive ends? One technique my coaching clients have found useful is to create the following three ‘Do Call’ lists.
‘Do Call’ List #1 — For Fun
The idea here is to have a list of folks you LOVE to talk to — in person or on the phone. People who make you smile when you think of them.
When you have your ‘Do Call — For Fun’ list handy, you can use it
* when you need a healthy break
* when you want to reward yourself
* to make sure you’re keeping connected to important people in your life
Why not pause now to compose your list — jot down folks you LOVE to talk to — in person or on the phone. People who make you smile when you think of them.
(Bonus points if you actually paused and composed your list).
‘Do Call’ List #2 — For Support
The concept here is to have a handy, comprehensive list of folks to call when you need an understanding ear or advice or creative brainstorming or information or other forms of support. This might include friends, colleagues, family members . . . and possibly people you don’t actually know yet.
Why make a list up in advance? Because when you’re in a situation when you need support, odds are you will be stressed out and not thinking clearly. When you find yourself in trouble, it’s much easier to scan the support list you’ve composed than to have to generate solutions under duress.
To compose your ‘Do Call — For Support’ list handy, write down as many people as you can in the following categories
* those who offer a kind, listening ear
* those who offer sound advice
* those smarter than you
* those more skilled than you
* those more experienced than you
* those with whom you can invite to join you in creative brainstorming
* those who have relevant information
* mentors
* people you’d love to have mentor you
* anyone who might reasonably be able to provide you with some form of support
* relevant associations, guilds, mastermind groups or other support groups
(Why not pause now to compose your list?)
‘Do Call’ List #3 — For Profit
Okay, this one can be scary — and is infinitely rewarding.
Who can you call to increase your bottom line?
This might include
* potential customers or clients
* people who might know potential customers or clients . . . or might know people who might know potential customers or clients
* potential professional partners
* actual professional partners
* potential service providers
* actual service providers
* potential subcontractors
* actual subcontractors
* potential investors
* actual investors
* people with whom you’d love to network
* successful people from whom you’d love to learn
* relevant associations, guilds, mastermind groups or other support groups
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Activity: List at least five people you LOVE to talk to — in person or on the phone. People who make you smile when you think of them.
Activity: Call someone on your list. Set up a time to have a chat — in person or on the phone.
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Available here in paperback and eBook format: http://bit.ly/YouCanGetItDone
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It was a surprising exercise, mainly in what it revealed about what I don’t have. In the first two lists I only have one name, the same person I might add, who happens to be my long suffering sister, and she is only a maybe. The third list is however, by its very nature endless, but I will never call any of them. Despite clear substantive evidence that I am very good on the phone, my call anxiety is so great that I never get to make the calls. After forty odd years of suffering, having tried anything and everything I have encountered in an attempt to overcome it, I think rather than get less, it has actually increased. There is no rationality to it, obviously, but there it is.
On the other hand, using social media and chat programs and emails is an entirely different matter. I don’t have the anxiety and I do have a few names collected on all three lists for those.
Good point, Gavin — you need to do what works well for you. If social media is effective in your professional activities, in garnering the support you need and in generating fun — that’s great. The point is to make the lists and make contact using whatever communication mechanisms make sense.