A One-Minute Investment With Huge ROI

A One-Minute Investment With Huge ROI

“No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.” -Theodore Roosevelt

As someone who specializes in emotionally intelligent communication the ubiquity of smart phones has become a sore spot for me.

While they may connect us to information they are disconnecting us from face-to-face interaction.

I watch people in restaurants looking down at their phones, completely disengaged from each other.

And at the top of my budding smart phone list of pet peeves, specifically, is texting during meetings and meals.

Or worse, you’re conversing one-on-one—in a meeting, or lunch, or out with a friend, whatever—when your companion’s phone vibrates, dings, or otherwise indicates an incoming message of some sort, something important, and they pick up their phone and start typing away.

On rare occasions they might apologize, uttering some version of “sorry, this is important.”

As though the conversation you were engaged in isn’t.

“People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do.” ~Lewis Cass

Actions speak louder than words.

You can let the people you live and work with know by your attention level that they are every bit as important as whatever message just arrived on your phone.

Your quick response might please the person at the other end of your electronic connection, but may cost you connection with the one across the table from you.

Go ahead, pick up the phone and glance at it if you must, but then put it back down.

And wait.

Wait just one minute.

And then, if you really are that important, or your job is on the line (or your wife is going into labor) excuse yourself with the following: “Listen, I hate to do this, but the message that just came in is time-sensitive and something I need to respond to right away. Can you give me a sec?”

That one small minute you just waited to respond, told the person who saw you do it (and noticed!) that they are every bit as important as the person/situation awaiting a response somewhere in cyber land.

That’s a very powerful message to send anyone. Especially to the people important to you. All because you waited.

One. Minute.

Nobody’s so important that they don’t have one extra minute.

Not even you.



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About
Cynthia Barlow

Founder Cynthia Barlow

Facilitator, Author, Coach

Helping businesses build their people

When your people have the skills to communicate more effectively, they can connect more easily and collaborate more productively. Not only on the job, but also in life.

Communication, Connection, and Collaboration—the three “C’s”—are the cornerstones of all successful businesses. They are the result of Emotional Intelligence in action.

More details can be found in my recent best seller with co-author Jennifer Eggers:
Resilience: It’s Not About Bouncing Back

The power of resilience within organizations can transform an average company into a powerhouse. Yet, even in times of rapid disruptive change, there is no manual for building resilient organizations. This book is that manual.

“If you  want to build more resilience intentionally—personally and professionally—read this book.
~
Fran Karamousis, Chief  of Research, Gartner

 

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cynthia@c3conversations.com 1 (647) 544 - 1567
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