"If you want action, Talk. don't text."
I was admonished via email yesterday for not having posted in blog in recent times.
My repost was simple. I quoted David Ogilvy's office memo to Ogilvy and Mather employees. Recently, doing has eclipsed writing.
“If you want action, don’t write. Go tell the guy/gal what you want.”
And it’s true. If you want action, get on your bike, ride your skateboard, or pick the phone.
I’ll come back to importance of talking with human beings shortly.
Recently, for me, action has eclipsed writing. And what exciting action.
With clients, I've been building brands, shifting cultures, constructing strategies and communicating, communicating, communicating.
As a result, you will see new material around strategy, branding and leadership being published in the next couple of months.
But here’s one thing I want to share with you today. Call people. Use the phone.
Ask yourself, “do I really need to do this via email.”
Like you I am inundated with links to lists such as the 6 best ways to order donuts, or the 5 tips from morticians on how to look good in an interview.
Or the most heart-sinkingly popular of all, the top 5 behaviours of ‘leaders.’
The last of these irritate me the most the leader lists miss out the behaviour I observe in the most successful leaders.
They talk to people!
Jobs did, Branson does, Joel does, Jay does, Marc does, Norm does.
In fact, every leader I respect diverts to email only when they have to.
Whenever possible they speak to person in person, viavideo or on the phone.
Texting is dangerous. We all know it. There are signs which say to on the highway.
On the other hand, I have earned more business, built more relationships or made more decisions (not even faster, simply made them) when using the phone.
It’s good to engage with people, employees, customers, family.
Beside, it’s amazing what you learn when you listen.
Remember, number one trait. Engage with people
Finally, another change. I’m going to run a safe to fail experiment.
I will no longer just write stuff, I will speak it too. It appears some subscribers no longer have time to read, but they can listen. So, the next half dozen articles will beavailable on the website and through iTunes.
Exciting times. Engage your people.
You can hit your stop button here, or you can listen to 15 seconds of commercial as the boys from the black stuff take us out.
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