One thing I admired about my boss on Capitol Hill, Congressman John Ashbrook, was his telephone instructions.
If someone asked for the Administrative Assistant or some other big shot in the office, you asked them their name, put them on hold, and told the Big Man what peasant was trying to get His Attention.
But if someone called John Ashbrook himself when he was in his office, you said, “Just a minute, please,” put them on hold, and rang him on the intercom.
John took the call and he didn’t need to know WHO was calling him. He would find that out for himself. He said, “I’m a representative, that’s what I’m here for.”
John had worked with Gerald Ford for many years in congress before Ford was suddenly appointed vice president and then president. While he was president he called John’s office. John’s line was busy so the receptionist who answered the phone told him to wait, and then she asked who he was. He said, “This is Jerry Ford.”
There are a lot of “Jerry Fords” in the world, so she thought nothing of it. The President of the United States was put on hold for fifteen minutes.
#1 by Don on 12/22/2004 - 2:25 pm
Jerry who?