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.
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In 2013, I worked part-time as a sales manager for one of my favorite clients. The youngest and most energetic team member had a very challenging deadline and the hardest quota. This, combined with her enthusiasm for both her prospects and her clients, led her to talk too fast. I … Read more
How to balance “work” with the rest of “life” is a discussion that comes up in almost every workshop and conversation I have with new entrepreneurs and business owners. In many instances when you ask someone why they chose to start or own a business, they’ll reply, “To create work/life … Read more
On October 5, I celebrated 32 years as an entrepreneur. Yes, that’s a big accomplishment and what most stands out for me is how much I’ve learned – and continue to learn – every day. Owning and running a business is about constantly acquiring and embracing new skills and ideas. … Read more
My life as “The Phone Lady” is filled with amazing moments and opportunities. One of these arrived as a thank you a few months ago from Lee Babin, CEO of Gingerly.ai. It was a one-year, all-access pass to Masterclass, an online learning platform featuring some of the best minds of … Read more
We all procrastinate about something. Whether it relates to our finances, home repairs, writing projects or exercise, each of us has at least one thing we know we must do … but we don’t. (Housework tops my list!) While procrastination may simply be a natural human characteristic, it’s important to recognize that … Read more
It does seem logical to communicate with a prospect or client in the same way they’ve communicated with us (i.e. they send us an email, we answer by email, etc.) but experience has taught me, many times, this is often not the best choice. Every medium (email, text, phone, video conferencing, … Read more
Do you recognize this situation? You meet with a potential new client and have a great discussion. They are honest and open about their challenges; you present thoughtful and well-received ideas for possible solutions. They request a proposal and follow up. You deliver the proposal on time and begin to … Read more
The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go. Dr. Seuss Last year my colleague and friend Jeanie Burke, President of Home Instead Senior Care Halifax, shared with me the concept of one word – choosing one word … Read more
In late August I had the privilege of delivering two workshops in St. John’s in partnership with Futurpreneur and TD Canada Trust. In one of those workshops I was delighted to re-connect with Corina Walsh and I’m very pleased to introduce her to you. She has me re-thinking how I describe my … Read more
The summer I turned 18, I spent as much time as possible at my sister’s cabin, an isolated homestead deep in the woods of Northern Ontario. And I often brought along a friend to enjoy the canoeing, reading, swimming and hiking. One friend came prepared for the possibility of rainy … Read more
The phrase “follow up” can be defined as an activity carried out in order to further develop earlier work. For me this brings to mind the stages involved in creating a painting, or sculpture, or writing a book. For all works of art, there is a constant returning, a further development … 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.)
Remember party lines? Switchboards? Yellow Pages? The traditional telephone is almost gone, but its cultural impact deserves a ringing endorsement. Mary Jane weighs in.
A fresh phone hell in the office: Younger workers who don’t say hello when they answer a call need to know it’s a problem. Mary Jane weighs in on generational phone challenges - read here.
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.