You’re calling an executive.
She has an official work number
which she prefers
to receive calls on
and a mobile/cell number
which is to be used
in emergencies.
Of course, you call her official number first.
Instead of speaking with her,
you speak with her assistant.
You want to ensure
the executive receives the message.
What do you do?
In the case of the vendor
who called a buddy today,
he left a message with the assistant
and THEN called the emergency line.
The assistant, being a capable being,
relayed the message,
discovered that the vendor
had called her executive directly
AFTER he left the message,
and, rightly assumed,
that he didn’t trust her.
She has vowed to never relay
another message
from him.
Why would she waste her time?
She likely won’t find space
in her executive’s schedule
for his next sales call either.
The executive (my buddy)
is insulted
because the vendor doesn’t think
she can hire a capable assistant.
She’s also irritated
that she has to talk about the situation
twice.
What should he have done?
If it’s not truly an emergency,
trust the assistant to do her job.
If you don’t hear from the executive
in a few days,
contact her by some other means.
If it IS an emergency,
simply tell the assistant
that you’ll call the executive
on her emergency line.
Don’t give someone a job
and then do it yourself.