I know a secret about a big cat who owns an international hotel
chain with properties in six countries. He hires and fires thousands, awards or pulls immense contracts, borrows from major
financial institutions, and makes lavish contributions to charities.
Mr. Big Cat (we'll call him "Ed") has a respected and immediately
recognizable name in his industry. And here's the secret: Mrs. Big
Cat is the real brains behind the operation.
I became friends with Mrs. Big Cat (we'll call her "Sylvia")
when I did some consulting for her husband's organization. Sylvia
invited me to tea one afternoon. She sweetly apologized that this
was "maid's day off" so we'd have to fend for ourselves. As we happily perched ourselves on the patio and were about to dive into
our tea and crumpets, the phone rang. She excused herself to
answer it.
I heard Mrs. Big Cat say, "No, I'm sorry, he's not in. Shall I
tell him who called? . . . No, I don't know when he is planning on
returning, but if you give me your name and . . . No, I said I don't
know what time he'll be back . . . Yes, I'll tell him you called."
As Sylvia returned to the patio, I could she was annoyed by
the call. Always on the lookout for a good phone story, I ventured
a questioning look.
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How to Get What You
Want on the Phone
from Big Shots
✰64
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Copyright 2003 by Leil Lowndes. Click Here for Terms of Use.
Picking up on my curiosity, she said, "That fool thinks he's
going to get a contribution from Ed. Ha!" she laughed wryly. Her
candor emboldened me to ask her more. It turns out the caller, a
Mr. Creighton, was a fund-raiser for a major charity Ed was considering contributing to. My hostess said Creighton had called
twice in the past two weeks when Ed was out. "And not once did
he greet me, ask how I was, or apologize for the disturbance." This
did not please Mrs. Big Cat.
Was it a major irritation for Mrs. Big Cat? No, only minor.
But did it mean a major loss for the little cat who called? It sure
did. In Ed and Sylvia Big Cat's household, subtleties count. At the
dinner table, Mrs. Big Cat could say to her husband, "A very nice
man named Creighton called for you today, dear." Or she might
say, "A rather irritating chap named Creighton called for you
today." One comment or the other could mean millions won or
lost by Creighton's charity. And all because little cat Creighton
mildly ruffled Mrs. Big Cat's whiskers.
Home advice: Salute the Spouse. Office advice: Salute the
Secretary.
A surprising number of Big Cat spouses—and secretaries—
have deep claws into important business decisions. When it comes
How to Get What You Want on the Phone from Big Shots 243
Technique #64
Salute the Spouse
Whenever you are calling someone's home, always identify
and greet the person who answers. Whenever you call
someone's office more than once or twice, make friends
with the secretary. Anybody who is close enough to answer
the phone is close enough to sway the VIP's opinion of you.
07 (229-264B) part seven 8/14/03 9:19 AM Page 243
hiring time, firing time, promoting time, or buying time, many
spouses have a say. When it comes to whose calls get through,
whose proposals get put on the top of the boss's desk, who gets
luncheon appointments made, secretaries' opinions count!
Only foolish callers don't realize all spouses and secretaries
have names. All spouses and secretaries have lives. All spouses and
secretaries have feelings. All spouses and secretaries have influence.
Deal accordingly