Overcoming the Impossible with the Phone
As a speech and language pathologist, I have heard countless stories from my clients about the frustration of talking on the phone. I recognize these feelings of frustration not just as a professional empathizing with my clients, but as someone who also stutters and knows first-hand the challenges of communicating on the phone.
When addressing the phone with clients, we first do practice calls where we call each other. Then we move to “real” calls where they may call a store or a restaurant. As challenging as making calls can be, answering a ringing phone may be even more challenging because it requires speaking on demand, and we can’t control or prepare for when the phone will ring.
Answering the phone has been a personal challenge of mine. I always wanted to answer my business phone with the greeting, “MLF Speech Therapy, can I help you?” But I would often struggle when saying this greeting, and I feared that potential clients would hear my stutter and not take my practice seriously. Feeling apprehensive, I submitted to my insecurities and instead answered my business phone with the greeting, “Marilee Fini.”
Throughout the years, there were brief periods where I attempted to answer with “MLF Speech Therapy,” but quickly gave up when I had a moment of stuttering or someone hung up on me. A breakthrough occurred a few months ago when I was putting a panel presentation together for the National Stuttering Association Convention called “Making Feared Situations Possible.” I realized that in order to help others overcome feared speaking situations, I also had to do it myself! I made it my goal that when the phone rang I had to proudly say, “MLF Speech Therapy” rather than avoiding it.
It didn’t matter how it came out, it just mattered that I said the words. I was working on being an “authentic communicator,” and saying what I wanted to say when I wanted to say it.
Answering the phone with a business greeting was something that I had deemed as impossible. However, when I chose to see it as “possible” and was willing to take the steps necessary to work on it, I was able to succeed. As I tell my clients, we can talk about a feared speaking situation, but true change only occurs when action is taken.
Do you have a client who struggles to answer the phone?
We have a worksheet to help. Download your free copy here.
This post has been brought to life by PESI speaker Marilee Fini, MA, CCC-SLP.
Reid Wilson, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist who directs the Anxiety Disorders Treatment Center in Chapel Hill and Durham, NC. He is author of the just-released Stopping the Noise in Your Head: The New Way to Overcome Anxiety and Worry and the classic self-help book Don't Panic: Taking Control of Anxiety Attacks. He is co-author of Stop Obsessing! How to Overcome Your Obsessions and Compulsions, as well as Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents: 7 Ways to Stop the Worry Cycle and Raise Courageous & Independent Children.
Dr. Wilson is a Founding Clinical Fellow of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) and Fellow of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT). In 2014, he was honored with the ADAA’s Jerilyn Ross Clinician Advocate Award - the highest national award in his field. He designed and served as lead psychologist for American Airlines' first national program for the fearful flier and currently serves as the expert for WebMD’s Panic and Anxiety Community.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Reid Wilson is the director at the Anxiety Disorders Treatment Center. Dr. Wilson is an adjunct associate professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. He receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. Reid has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Reid Wilson is a Founding Clinical Fellow of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA); and Fellow of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT).
