Great awareness, Nanette. It can be incredibly difficult to NOT multitask nowadays! Especially with the amount of technology at your fingertips. However, the act of multitasking takes your attention in a number of different directions anode ultimately distracts you from your main purpose on the phone - learning about your student.
I need to keep my multi-tasking to a minimum when I am on the phone. If I am working on multiple things, then I am not able to be fully present for the phone call.
I recognize the importance of active listening and make the effort to address the need and or ensure that I will get back to the indiviudal with the needed information.
Weaknesses: rushing through a call because the phone is still ringing; assuming something I don't know or did not uncover.
Strenghts: building rapport, listening, and expressing compassion and discerning situations that are a match....i.e. an enrollment that becomes a successful student.
I believe some of my weaknesses are that I talk too much on the phone and give too much information at once instead of providing it broken down throughout the call.
Another weakness I know I have is easily becoming frustrated when someone has a difficult time articulating what they are trying to express. After working in a different type of high-stress call center my first reaction was to deescalate a call. Now that it's not that way currently it's still hard for me to not jump the gun.
One of my strengths is I feel for people and have empathy for them. I know I also tend to forsee individuals strengths based on little information or their personality on the phone.
I feel like my one of my biggest strengths on the phone is that prospects and students connect pretty easily with me fairly quickly, which makes it a lot easier to develop rapport. My biggest weakness is probably rushing through the call a little bit. I feel like I can turn into a presenter too easily, and forget to ask probing questions.
