Some calls come into your phone and triggers a smile. You jump up to pick up. No chance you are missing this.
Some calls come into your phone and triggers a frown. You wait before picking. You are in no particular hurry, hopefully the network is poor and it cuts off.
Some calls come into your phone and triggers no emotion. You ignore it or pick up depending on whether you ignored or picked up the last call that came in. Nothing about this call triggers action.

Without seeing the face of the individual, knowing what they are calling for, or meaning to show any feelings, you react to a phone call depending on what the caller represents to you, whether they know it or not.

The problem in most instances is not the caller. Some people take up roles in our lives that are quite uncomfortable for us, but they are part of our building process. I decided to study how I react to calls that make me smile and then I try daily (active word being “try”) to replicate what I can observe in all calls.

• I smile before picking up a call. Not after picking, before.
• I consciously have an upbeat tone. One that sounds like I am excited.
• I offer an opening pleasantry and ask about their welfare in as relaxed a tone as possible.
• When I disagree fundamentally and I see my mood switching, I go quiet and ask to call back after crosschecking their proposition.
• I call back only when I have been able to understand their position.

I cannot control how people react when they see my call coming into their phone, but I can improve the experience they have when I choose to pick up their call.

– Osasu Oviawe