Categories: Communications

Sometimes, I Forget the iPhone is Actually, In Fact, a Phone

My plans last night got totally goofed up. Long story, short, amid much texting and plans being arranged and re-arranged, I misunderstood the final verdict and the result was that two-thirds of our party ended up at one restaurant, and one-third at another. Sigh.

I was sad to miss out on dinner with my friends, but we made the best of it, of course (and the butternut squash crepes I had were delicious.)

I want to learn a lesson from this — I think if I’d called instead of texting at some point, I could have clarified the information and avoided the goof. I think I was so convinced that I knew what was planned, that my misplaced confidence got in the way. Whoops.

So my communication lesson from this is to confirm — even when you think you know, it only takes a few seconds to verify. Repeating back what you think you know to be true solves a lot of communications problems — and is a good habit to develop. I’m going to work on it, and hopefully that will lead to a dinner out with my good friends, all at the same restaurant — in the near future!

AddThis Website Tools
Marijean

Marijean Oldham (Jaggers), a social media specialist and public relations professional, is president and CEO of Jaggers Communications LLC, a strategic communications firm based in Charlottesville, Va.

Share
Published by
Marijean

Recent Posts

The Value of a Fresh Pair of Eyes

A client told us a horror story from her previous job. The team was preparing…

3 years ago

Marketers: Be Mindful of Mother’s Day

There's an opportunity to earn respect and brand recognition through offering NOT to contact customers…

3 years ago

2021 in Review: From a Beer Brewed to Pair with Duke’s Mayo to Leadership Changes

As we begin the eleventh year of business for Jaggers Communications, I can't help but…

3 years ago

When Should Your Organization Conduct a Marketing Audit?

There are a few key stages in which a marketing audit can best benefit your…

3 years ago

In Crisis Communications, Transparency is Key

The worst messages in a crisis are those that are vague, provide incomplete information, and…

4 years ago

It’s Time to Adopt Gender Neutral Language in Business

On January 6, 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to adopt gender-neutral language in…

4 years ago