1 00:00:03,520 --> 00:00:10,080 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning, 2 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:17,040 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:21,520 Speaker 1: tip is to remember that you work with people, not 4 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:27,040 Speaker 1: email addresses or job descriptions. Remembering that will help create 5 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:32,680 Speaker 1: more pleasant environments and you'll get things done more smoothly too. 6 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:37,760 Speaker 1: It's easy to forget that almost every interaction involves another person. 7 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:42,839 Speaker 1: This is particularly true for one time interactions and when 8 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:47,000 Speaker 1: we're interacting remotely with people we've never met in real life. 9 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:50,400 Speaker 1: When you call about your refrigerator delivery, you just want 10 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:52,040 Speaker 1: to know when you need to be home for the 11 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:56,160 Speaker 1: delivery and how much longer you'll be eating takeout. When 12 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:59,240 Speaker 1: you email the it help desk at your workplace, you 13 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:02,920 Speaker 1: just want to all of your printer problem. But sometimes 14 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:05,119 Speaker 1: you get a little bit more than you are expecting. 15 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:08,920 Speaker 1: You may find out that the appliance delivery scheduler is 16 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:11,200 Speaker 1: covering for a colleague and that she just bought the 17 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:14,920 Speaker 1: same model refrigerator that you are having delivered. Sometimes it's 18 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:16,920 Speaker 1: unclear what you are supposed to do with all this, 19 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:21,160 Speaker 1: though it's probably preferable to the situation of getting no response. 20 00:01:22,160 --> 00:01:24,080 Speaker 1: You call the help desk and no one is there, 21 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:28,160 Speaker 1: and so you're frustrated because it is supposed to help 22 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:32,959 Speaker 1: you do your job. If we're not careful, these interactions 23 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:36,520 Speaker 1: can lead to us being rude, but that's usually not helpful. 24 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:40,640 Speaker 1: What is helpful is recognizing that we work with people. 25 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:45,000 Speaker 1: Almost everything eventually has a human being on the other end, 26 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:49,520 Speaker 1: no matter how much people try to automate things. By 27 00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:52,080 Speaker 1: remembering this, we can at least be in a better 28 00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:56,400 Speaker 1: mindset about these interactions. There are a few approaches that 29 00:01:56,480 --> 00:02:01,200 Speaker 1: can help. First, pay attention to people's names. You are 30 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 1: often calling a person, and that person has a name. 31 00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:09,440 Speaker 1: It's not the main office at Anna's school. It's Missus Watson. 32 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:13,920 Speaker 1: The receptionist Wayne, who manages mail and deliveries in your building, 33 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:16,240 Speaker 1: is the one who needs to let you know right 34 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 1: away when the messenger delivers the document. So it's Wayne 35 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:22,600 Speaker 1: you need to talk to about it, not the anonymous 36 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:26,160 Speaker 1: mail room. When we think of people by name instead 37 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 1: of by roll, we subtly shift from an entirely transactional 38 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:33,600 Speaker 1: perspective what are they doing for me? To a more 39 00:02:33,639 --> 00:02:38,480 Speaker 1: relational perspective, Because it turns out that Missus Watson and 40 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:41,680 Speaker 1: Wayne and even dispatch over at the refrigerator place if 41 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:45,160 Speaker 1: you don't know her name. All have real lives. They 42 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:48,200 Speaker 1: have as much drama and joy in their lives as 43 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:52,160 Speaker 1: anyone else. So learning a little bit about anyone you 44 00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:56,600 Speaker 1: interact with repeatedly can make any interaction more pleasant and 45 00:02:56,760 --> 00:03:01,120 Speaker 1: probably more productive. You might know that one person is 46 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:03,720 Speaker 1: thrilled that her first grand baby is due next month, 47 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:09,640 Speaker 1: and another person is fascinated by astronomy. Asking or commenting 48 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:12,920 Speaker 1: on one little tidbit they care about can create a 49 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:17,280 Speaker 1: moment of connection, even for one off interactions or what 50 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:20,120 Speaker 1: you think will be a one off interaction. There is 51 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:24,239 Speaker 1: no downside to remembering that you're dealing with an individual human. 52 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:28,799 Speaker 1: Spend the moment marveling that the person scheduling your refrigerator 53 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:32,040 Speaker 1: delivery is getting the same fridge as you. How wonderful. 54 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 1: There's a human reason for this. Mean you just made 55 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:38,600 Speaker 1: someone feel seen and heard. But there is also a 56 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:42,520 Speaker 1: practical reason. Your fridge delivery may wind up earlier in 57 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:45,000 Speaker 1: the day's run of show, and if you need to 58 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 1: call back about a problem, it is more likely to 59 00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:51,960 Speaker 1: get addressed. Lately, I have gotten a surprising number of 60 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:57,640 Speaker 1: human beings responding to those info at email addresses. It 61 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 1: is helpful to remember that unless the business is so 62 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 1: huge that they have figured out perfect automation, info is somebody. 63 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 1: Even if I'm annoyed about a problem with a product, 64 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 1: it is not really the personal fault of Terry who 65 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:17,359 Speaker 1: answers the info emails. I wouldn't scream at Terry's face 66 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:20,200 Speaker 1: in real life, so it's best not to send an 67 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:23,240 Speaker 1: email that does the equivalent to the human being on 68 00:04:23,320 --> 00:04:27,040 Speaker 1: the other end. And there is always the chance that 69 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:29,960 Speaker 1: Terry might be more helpful with a customer who doesn't 70 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:34,120 Speaker 1: come across as a terrible person. We don't work with 71 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:39,080 Speaker 1: job descriptions or help desks or email addresses. We work 72 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:43,840 Speaker 1: with people. Remembering that can create connection in even the 73 00:04:43,839 --> 00:04:49,480 Speaker 1: most mundane of moments. In the meantime, this is Laura. 74 00:04:50,279 --> 00:04:54,360 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening, and here's to making the most of 75 00:04:54,400 --> 00:05:04,360 Speaker 1: our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to hear from you. 76 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:07,279 Speaker 1: You can send me your tips, your questions, or anything else. 77 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:11,600 Speaker 1: Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at 78 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:16,480 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast Pod that's b E the number four then 79 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:20,520 Speaker 1: breakfast Pod. You can also shoot me an email at 80 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:25,240 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast Podcasts at iHeartMedia dot com. That before Breakfast 81 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:27,920 Speaker 1: is spelled out with all the letters. Thanks so much, 82 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:36,120 Speaker 1: should I look forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast 83 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:40,479 Speaker 1: is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, 84 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:44,680 Speaker 1: visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen 85 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:49,640 Speaker 1: to your favorite shows.