Never Fuss on the phone

This was about 23-25 years ago, running my second truss plant. It was the first plant I had ever built from the ground up. Things were going well for me; I was finally starting to learn how to manage people. This story centers particularly on the events surrounding an issue I was having with a job site. One of the gentlemen working for me got on the phone with me and I just tore into him over some of the problems we were having. He was a nice, older man, and usually did a good job. He ended up being a long-term placement of mine, really a great guy, and he just took this abuse. I didn’t cuss at him, but I was entirely condescending. It wasn’t ten minutes later when he knocked at my door and asked if he could speak to me. He wasn’t nasty at all, just as calm and collected as can be. He says, “I don’t have a problem with you yelling at me, but don’t ever yell at me on the phone. If you have a problem with me, we can work it out face to face, but anyone can be a badass on the phone.” That always stuck with me, what a great life lesson that ended up being. He could have been crappy to me, or he could have gone around behind my back, but he chose to talk to me. Why, I don’t know, but he took the time to set me down and I learned something from it.

Anyone can be harsh, can fuss, or engage in condescension when they have the anonymity of a phone call to bolster them. What makes the difference is how you’re willing to treat the people working for you when they’re standing in front of you. The next time you feel like absolutely tearing into someone with your mouth against the speaker of a little box, remember that your words will not do you or that person any good in the long run. You gain nothing from knocking someone down and chewing him or her out. An engagement with an employee in an office, or a constructive conversation on the phone will go so much farther. Any man can raise his voice, but a leader doesn’t need to talk down to his employees.