Sometimes I can't help but say, "Never mind" & hang up

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Esther

As part of our End The Phone Call Nightmares campaign, Esther Donkor shares how challenging it can be to make and receive calls at work.

If there's one thing I dread the most, it would have to be making a phone call at work. 

Stammering already comes with a stigma and a fear of being mocked. Having to make a phone call which would make everyone aware of my stammer, and where everyone is waiting on me, is so dreadful.

Whenever I'm about to make a phone call or when a call comes through from a superior, my heart skips. A lot will be going through my mind: how am I going to speak clearly? How will I answer the phone with ease? Saying the first word can be hard, so I always try to add a prefix to try and slide into it. For example, instead of just saying "Hello" I always try to say, "Yeah, hello". Sometimes I move some part of my body, like pressing my toes harder to the ground or raise a hand, to get the word out. 

Often, I just do not want people see me struggle to speak so when a call comes through, I just excuse myself, walk around or even hide.

When the person on the other end asks me to repeat myself the blocks become stronger, the silence heightens, and sometimes I can't help but say "Never mind, it's OK," and hang up. It's been so frustrating.

Often, I just do not want people see me struggle to speak so when a call comes through, I just excuse myself, walk around or even hide. 

However, when I’m with people I'm comfortable with, it’s always different. You get to be yourself and speak whichever way your words come out. That helps.

I wish during phone calls, everyone would be patient and calm, and allow whoever is speaking to finish their statements without interruption.

Have you had a recent phone call that went badly? Fill out our short form and tell us about it. We need your experiences to show companies what the problem is.

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