Time Management - Marc Mancini

The Art of Anticipating 105
time management writer Michael LeBoeuf, seems a little
drastic. Yet it’s probably a very effective way for some to
discipline their conversations.
• Buy a phone that tracks time spent on a conversation.
There’s something persuasive about that LCD screen on
phones that clicks off elapsed time. It’s almost like a taxi
meter. And like a meter, it reminds you that this call is
costing you, both in time and money.
Setback 2: Forgetting what was said. Once spoken, words tend
to evaporate. You think you’ll remember what was covered,
then later you realize that you have no reference to the points
made or actions required. The solution is a telephone communications
record, like Figure 8-1 on the next page.
The use of this form is rather self-explanatory. One clarification:
in the “by” columns, put “me” or the initials of the other
person.
Make copies of the document: keep them in a ring binder for
future reference. They can serve to track a call’s content, as
well as map out a call in advance.
Setback 3: Misunderstanding the message. You’ve outlined your
conversation, clarified each point, and even summarized to the
other person what you agreed on. What are the odds that your
message was fully and accurately comprehended? One study’s
conclusion: there’s a 90% chance that your message will be
understood incompletely.
You can do only so much to prevent misunderstandings.
First, as discussed, outline the conversation, keep it brief, and
make a record of it. But the best solution is to create a short follow-up
note, letter, fax, or e-mail from your telephone communications
record and send it to the other person. If there’s any
miscommunication (and if the person is responsible enough to
read your follow-up), you’re sure to get a call to straighten out
the misunderstanding.
Setback 4: Being stuck on hold. The average person is kept on
hold for 15 minutes a day and 60 hours a year. If you liberate