How to deal with a "phone phobia" in the workplace

Are you scared of not knowing how to answer a question? It could be a confidence issue.

I'm right with you there man. Hate talking to strangers on the phone.

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Secondly, don't be embarrassed about it. Talk to someone at your work about it. Not even a supervisor, an equal. Hell, tell the janitor about it. Sharing something with someone really does make it easier to carry.

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Yeahhhhhh.

Be careful following this advice. With the wrong workplace environment this could be a very bad move.

I went through some phone phobia stuff years ago. The only thing that helped was time, meditating, and getting more experience talking on the phone. Now when I talk on the phone I make sure I am present (listening to what the other person has to say) and I don't really care what happens. 9/10 the other person is also worried about sounding like a moron so it all evens out. Cold calling can be brutal but as long as you're polite and not pushy it shouldn't be that bad

Use an alias if it helps you feel better. Always keep in mind, these people have no clue who you are. If you end up saying something stupid, who cares, they don't know you.

You'll eventually learn not to sweat and probably come out with funny stories of people you talked to.

I used to make political calls and at first I dreaded it, but eventually it didn't matter to me. Trust me, I've been cussed out a time or two and called every name under the sun. But what of it?

I know the feeling. I've suffered from the same exact thing my entire life. The worst part is it is so difficult and awkward trying to explain it to someone that has no problem picking up the phone and calling someone. It has to sound so damn ridiculous to them.


I really don't have any advice. I don't know that I've found a workable solution to my own problem.

I will walk up to complete strangers and talk to them at events, but I DESPISE calling strangers on the phone. It's awful to me. I think it's because I can't see them, I can't see their reaction, etc. I also think it's because I get annoyed with cold calls because the assumption is that they are trying to sell me something I don't need.

It's something that gets a little better over time, but I still don't enjoy it.

Maybe have a buddy in there with you while you make some calls, if that may put you at ease? Maybe the can listen in and afterwards give you some suggestions?

Talking to a counselor may help you learn some meditation practices.

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TheWalrus

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I realize this may sound ridiculous, but it's very real to me and I'm not sure what to do.

I've started my first professional job. Everything is going great so far, people have been very complimentary of my work. My particular strengths are writing, editing, and research.

Sorry if this is vague, but I don't want to reveal too much. As part of a project I'm on now, we have to call members of certain industries to try and arrange a phone interview regarding their opinion on a source used in the making of their products. Right now, it's cold calling companies off a list and asking around to see if we can find the particular person we need to talk to and if they would be willing to answer our phone survey.

Here's the issue: I'm absolutely terrified to make these calls. This is not simply not liking cold-calling, which I figure is pretty standard. This is an anxiety that is consuming me 24 hours a day, shaking, trouble breathing, dizziness. I've made a few calls and they haven't gone too terribly, but it's an anticipatory anxiety that is literally making me ill.

What can I do? I know the simple answer is "suck it up." This is the type of anxiety that pretty much fits the ADA definition of a covered mental illness.

I'm so embarrassed by this and I don't want it to derail my life.

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This is a tough one. The majority of my first few "real," jobs were all related to being on the phone. I started out in the collections biz for a mortgage company way back when.

They were sub-prime to start off with and then they were late on their house-note, so you heard all kinda sh!t on the phone when they picked up (late 90's; before the widespread use of caller ID and smartphones). By the time I left there I was actually still in college at LSU but I'd been battle-hardened.

Went on to do stints as a 20-something in several CSR positions in a cube-farm environment before getting into commissioned sales. The thing I'd keep in mind is that at the end of the day, you'll never be perfect. Especially to start off. But if you don't start and go through the process, you'll never overcome your fear. But you'll also have zero chance to get better at it.

This is a skill that you obviously need to improve. It's no different than things you learned in school to get you where you are. It's just that this is a "soft skill," that isn't exactly something you're taught in a classroom.

You've got to learn by doing. The first few calls will suck. But you'll get acclimated and over time your delivery, confidence and comfort on the phone will begin to appear.

But the longer you put off just starting it and failing forward, the longer you'll deal with your issues.

Good luck.

ETA: I'm a big extrovert, though. I actually enjoy bullsh!tting with people and I'm okay with complete strangers. I think some of that is how I'm wired. Some of it comes from my experience on the phones and in person with people over the course of time.

As always, YMMV

I went through the same with my first job out of college not even 2 years ago. What made it worse is that we had this open cube farm where everyone can see and hear everything. It got to the point where, like you, would be affected at home by the thought of a call I knew I had to make the next day.

The answer, as others have stated, is to just do it more. Volunteer for projects/assignments that force you to do more phone work. Like anything else, once you break through, you'll be fine. Not perfect, but certainly better than yo think you are. No one is going to be more critical of you than you.

Hell, i still get a little anxious here and there, but the difference is it all goes away once im on the phone.

Youll get there and probably further than me in less time if you keep at it. Good luck!