Tip: The 8-minute phone call
In her 7-Day Happiness Challenge, Jancee Dunn, a columnist for The New York Times, shares lots of great ideas on how to improve the relationships in your work and life. Here is one that resonated with us: The Secret Power of the 8-Minute Phone Call.
Jancee suggests you think of someone you haven’t talked to in a while who you would like to touch base with. (Interestingly, we got this tip idea from a very busy person who did just that with us. Thanks, Mary!)
Here’s what to do next:
“Send that person a quick text asking if they can chat on the phone for eight minutes — ideally today, but if not, schedule it for some time this week.” Perhaps say something like this:
Hi! I read an interesting article in The New York Times, “The Secret Power of the 8-Minute Phone Call” and it made me think we should chat.
Want to schedule an eight-minute phone call this week? Just eight minutes—we can do that, right?
To make your call most effective, Jancee says, “After the eight minutes are up, decide together when your next such catch-up will be — and then honor your time commitment and sign off promptly.”
Yes, you can text a person to catch up, but research shows that hearing someone’s voice is more uplifting, and you can actually cover a lot of ground in 8 minutes!
SHEPA LEARNING COMPANY WEEKLY POSITIVE NETWORKING® TIP
No. 998, February 22, 2023
By Gayle Hallgren and Judy Thomson