What everyday activities make Gen Z anxious? Mary Jane weighs in on phone anxiety and why conversation skills still matter. Read more.
Posts
As part of celebrating 20 years of The Phone Lady, we’re revisiting what truly makes communication meaningful, one quote at a time. Each week in 2026, we’ll share a bit of wisdom that reminds us that small shifts in how we speak, listen and connect make a big difference. This … Read more
10 fascinating (and slightly quirky) observations about how we’re really communicating On March 10, 1876, Alexander Graham Bell made the very first phone call and said: “Mr. Watson, come here, I want to see you.” That means March 10, 2025, was the 149th birthday of the phone call. And that … Read more
In 2016, I abandoned the tradition of creating New Year’s resolutions and embraced a simpler and more powerful practice of choosing one word. For 2026, which is The Phone Lady’s 20th anniversary, I’ve chosen the word “intention”. This word comes to us from Old French, meaning ‘intent, purpose, aspiration; will’, … Read more
Why do some voicemail messages result in a return call and others don’t? While there are many reasons, one of the biggest contributors to the unreturned call is the detailed message. The role of a detailed message is threefold: To provide information to someone you already know or are already … Read more
This lesson adds more information to my last video on team members avoiding conversations due to a fear of the outcome. Providing team members with a process that can serve as a template for all their conversations is one way to give support and improve both sales and customer service … Read more
“Why does every issue turn into a 40-message Slack thread when one phone call would solve it in five minutes?” This is a sentiment I hear often from business owners and executives. Despite the abundance of communication tools at our fingertips, too many organizations are slowing themselves down by avoiding … Read more
“Where there is no reciprocity, there is no need for listening.” — Ursula Franklin On a Friday evening years ago, I heard Franklin explain how technology can strip away reciprocity, the give-and-take that creates real communication. That idea still guides my work today. When we rely only on emails or … Read more
In our 2025 Survey on Phone and Video Communication Trends, CEOs and senior executives shared honest insights into how their teams are using voice and video today. Alongside success stories, two persistent challenges appeared again and again: A deep reluctance to contact prospects because of fear of the outcome. A … Read more
In my last post, The Truth About Scripting: Why Your First Sales Calls Should Be Shaky, I shared why those early, awkward calls aren’t a sign of failure but rather an essential part of finding the best possible script. Now, let’s talk about what happens next. Because while the first calls … Read more
Even after decades of cold calling, I still get stage fright. It doesn’t matter that I’ve designed the script, thoroughly researched the product or service, and have a solid list of qualified leads. The nerves are still there. My heart beats faster. My mind races with the unknowns. And I … Read more
When Selling Feels Uncomfortable Many of my clients are people who never, ever imagined themselves “selling” anything. They are: Owners of startups, passionate and knowledgeable about the product they’ve created, but now facing the reality that they need to generate revenue Franchisees with deep knowledge of their product or service, … Read more
There’s a four-letter word that slips into our sentences far too often. It’s small, polite, and seems harmless. But it quietly undermines our confidence every time we use it. That word is “just“. “I’m just checking in to see if you got my email.”“I just want to ask if you have … Read more
Cold calling does strike fear in the hearts of many professionals. Whether you’re making phone calls, sending an email, or connecting with someone on LinkedIn, you’re doing something that can feel uncomfortable: reaching out without an invitation. Yet the success of this approach continues to build trust, relationships and revenue. It is … Read more
Do you find yourself unsure how (or when) to follow up with a brand-new lead? You’re not alone. Many salespeople struggle to consistently reach out without feeling repetitive or pushy, and that leads to missed opportunities. In this short video lesson, I walk you through a real-world follow-up process I’ve … Read more
Mission Possible Podcast with Doug Dvorak Real-time communication is more than a skill — it’s a pathway to confidence, connection, and leadership. I recently had the pleasure of joining Doug Dvorak on the Mission Possible Podcast to talk about one of my favorite topics: how real-time conversations, whether by phone, … Read more
We live in a fast world. Messages are delivered in milliseconds. People expect answers instantly. And it’s easy to think that speaking quickly signals confidence or competence. But in real-time conversations, especially on the phone or in video calls, pacing is power. When we speak too quickly, we make it … Read more
One of the simplest ways to build trust in real-time conversations, especially on the phone, is to speak clearly. That sounds easy, doesn’t it? But it’s surprisingly common for our words to become rushed, mumbled, or jumbled when we’re: Nervous Tired Multitasking Trying to “move quickly” through a call In … Read more
A lack of confidence in answering calls from customers often relates to a fear of not being able to answer questions. Knowing that it is acceptable to pause and think helps team members overcome this challenge.
On August 16, 2009, I published my first blog post. As a journalist, I’d written both weekly and monthly columns, so I understood the discipline. The experience of regularly sharing stories and information online sparked my curiosity. At that time, posting a blog involved knowing a bit about programming and … Read more
There are two types of conversations I rank among the most difficult. One is the “dark” conversation, where the other person only – and consistently – talks about everything that is going wrong. While this can extend to a world view, it is most often focused on their life, health … Read more
This past week, I spent the afternoon with a group of energetic business owners. We worked together to design each company’s approach to customer service. One of the reactions that resulted from our work was, as one participant put it, “I’m realizing I don’t know exactly what our clients are … Read more
Over the holidays, I had a lot of conversations. Some were on the phone, others were on camera and I enjoyed them all. And many of them included interesting communication challenges. This reminded me of a blog series I did back in 2018, which focused on difficult conversations. I began … Read more
I decided that whatever I was, wanted to do with my life, it would have to have something to do with exploration and doing new things. – Duane G. Carey, American Astronaut This is the 10th anniversary of my sharing the concept of One Word. My colleague and friend, Jeanie Burke, … Read more
If you own a business or are a team member who communicates with clients, colleagues, and/or prospects, you need to consider the voicemail message they hear when they call you. I know many of you are rolling your eyes right now. Perhaps it’s because you aren’t a fan of the … Read more
This week’s blog post author is Jennifer Doherty, who provides her perspective on the connection between career growth and phone communication. Jennifer holds a Master’s in Industrial Relations and Human Resources from the University of Toronto and is the founder of JSD Human Resources. I’m delighted that she’s chosen this … Read more
Spotify became my music platform of choice several years ago. While I was hesitant at first, I have no regrets. Setting up our household account took a bit of time. I was delighted to find and put in our library the majority of the artists and albums that have created … Read more
Successful people ask better questions, and as a result, they get better answers. Tony Robbins Great questions are essential to building trust, loyalty and thriving businesses. Why? The questions we ask allow us to gather the best possible information when: we are validating a new business idea, are having a discovery … Read more
It is part of human nature to make assumptions. Many of them are helpful. For example, I often assume the driver on my left is about to move into my lane without using their signal. I’m often right and, by tapping my brakes, I avoid a common accident. But some … Read more
At the beginning of September, I attended The AC Group of Independent Accounting Firms Limited conference where I delivered a two-hour presentation. My audience was an energetic group of support staff and administrators. The presentation moved along smoothly, with heads nodding and notes being taken as we delved into a … Read more
Back in 2013, I answered a phone call from an intern at The Wall Street Journal. Anita Hofschneider was assigned a story on how phone calls had lost their value in the workplace. At the time, I was working onsite with a client, coaching their sales staff on the how … Read more
To celebrate 20 years of The Phone Lady, we're revisiting what truly makes communication meaningful. Every second week, we'll share a bit of wisdom to remind us that small shifts in how we speak, listen, and connect make a big difference. (You'll also receive access to our Exclusive Resources, including 4 ebooks.)
I've spent 20 years teaching people to communicate. Phone anxiety has never been worse. I see it most often among younger employees entering the workforce, and the issue is more complicated than it seems. Find out more.
Remember party lines? Switchboards? Yellow Pages? The traditional telephone is almost gone, but its cultural impact deserves a ringing endorsement. Mary Jane weighs in.
Bosses and employees are wrestling over whether voice calls have a place in the hybrid era. The Wall Street Journal recently spoke to Mary Jane. Find out more here.
22 Minutes correspondent Brandon Hackett figures out which end is up on this thing called a telephone, with help from The Phone Lady. Watch Telephone Lessons for Millennials.