Why You Shouldn't Talk On Your Cell Phone on Airplanes
The Mr. Mustache Story
I was on a plane as it waited to take off from the
Atlanta Airport. There was a gentleman
with a mustache in the row across from me in first class on his cell phone. Mr. Mustache didn't seem to care we could hear
every word he said on his cell phone as he loudly told the employee he was
fired.
It was the most heart wrenching and disturbing
eavesdropping situation I've ever encountered. His voice was cold, hurried and
matter-of-fact. He said sales were down in his region and he felt Sam could do
a better job. I could actually hear the pleading in the voice of the employee
from his cell phone.
Mr. Mustache said that he hadn't said anything before
hoping the sales would increase and that was that, and that he had to get off
the phone as his plane was about to take off. Yes, Mr. Mustache, totally ignored the
pleading and quickly said he had to get off the phone because the plane was
taking off.
I audibly groaned as he got off the phone and my seatmate
who also heard the call said, "Can you believe him?" If I had been in
the seat near mustache I would have told him he was rude and insensitive, but
going across my seatmate to say that would have been rude of me! My seatmate
and I talked about how horrible that was and how unprofessional and heartless
this man was.
I want you to remember this story. Remember you do not
fire people with a brief heartless phone call having obviously not given them
any prior notice. You should not rush a phone call when someone is in obvious
distress and let them know you are on a plane publically firing them. You do
not have emotional phone calls in public spaces, especially in spaces like
airplanes where no one can escape your rudeness.
If you are making any excuses for Mr. Mustaches behavior,
DON"T. He may have been a rich guy in first class thinking he earned the
right to be rude and heartless. He hadn't. If you are thinking you have never
done anything remotely like this think again. Have you ever said something
emotional or negative to someone on the phone when you were in a public space? Have
you ever said something over the phone or text or email that you should have
said in person, but you didn't want to deal with it?
Have you ever talked loudly on the phone when others
could not step away from you to not hear you?
Be polite. Be a grownup. Honor and respect the souls
around you.
More cell phone use articles:
Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at
www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at
www.snapfirstimpressions.com. Also check out Patti's YouTube channel at
http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.
