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Technique #68
The Ho-Hum Caper
Instead of using your party’s name, casually let the
pronoun 
he
or 
she
roll off your tongue. Forget “Uh,
may I speak to Ms. Bigshot please?” Just announce,
“Hi, Bob Smith here, is she in?” Tossing the familiar
she
off your tongue signals to the secretary that you and
her boss are old buddies.
07 (229-264B) part seven 8/14/03 9:19 AM Page 256

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Whenever you’re on the phone with someone, you hear a lot more
than their voices. In the background you might hear dogs bark-
ing, babies crying, or a crackling sound. For all you know, the dog
has his tail caught in the refrigerator, the baby has to be fed, or
the house is on fire. When you acknowledge the sound by ask-
ing if they have to take care of it, you warm the hearts of your
listeners.
When you are talking to someone at work, you often hear
another phone ringing. Say immediately, “I hear your other line.
Do you have to answer it?” Even if not, he or she will appreciate
the gesture. If he does have to catch the other call, you can be sure
he heard nothing you said after the first ring. He’s only thinking
“How can I interrupt this babbling person without being rude so
I can answer my other phone?” In fact with every brr-ing, irrita-
tion sets in that you are holding him hostage from doing what he
has to do.
Here is the technique guaranteed to save you from being in
that uncomfortable position.
The subtext, of course, is that you are sensitive to what’s going
on in your caller’s world. If you’re talking to someone far away or
in another country, another way to show you’re tops in the com-
257
How to Make Them 
Say You Have Super
Sensitivity
✰
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07 (229-264B) part seven 8/14/03 9:19 AM Page 257
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munications department is to translate time references into their
time zone. When you leave a message, say “I can be reached
between three and five your time.”
And don’t forget foreign holidays. Last July 1, I was on the
phone with a client from Australia. I was impressed when he
wished me “Happy Independence Day weekend.” So impressed,
in fact, I ran out to find a chart of international holidays. I made
a note in my calendar next January 26 to wish my Aussie friend
“Happy Australia Day.”
If you do business with people around the world, be sure to
extend good wishes to them for their holidays. Forget about your
own if they’re not shared. I’m still mortified about the time last
November when I was on a conference call with a Canadian
client and seven of his salespeople. I wished them all “Happy
Thanksgiving.”
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How to Talk to Anyone