From Phones to CEOs: Why First-Hand Experience Builds Better Leaders

Facing the Fear: Let’s be honest: for many young professionals today, picking up the office phone can be daunting. Researchers even have a name for it - telephobia. A UK survey found that 76 per cent of millennials feel anxious when making or receiving calls, compared with only 40 per cent of baby boomers. As workplaces rely more on digital communication, using a phone can feel old-fashioned or uncomfortable.

We view it differently, making sure everyone - from apprentices to senior leaders - begins their journey on the phones. Why? Because those authentic, unfiltered conversations with real people lay the foundation for everything we do.

But this isn’t just about phones - it’s about the importance of beginning from the ground up. Whether it’s a phone call, a busy kitchen or a factory floor, the principle is the same: starting from the ground up builds empathy, resilience and confidence.

As Chef Anthony Bourdain once said, frontline work fosters unique empathy. “You can easily recognise someone who has worked in a restaurant,” he said. Those essential soft skills you gain apply to any entry-level role where you must “read people” quickly, handle pressure and absorb criticism. We examine two perspectives: the business side - why phone work sharpens marketers - and the human case - why “working your way up” builds resilience, confidence, and leadership for life.

The Business Case: Why Real Conversations Create Better Marketers

Real Conversations Build Real Understanding: It’s true - marketers love dashboards, CRM reports and analytics. But none of these capture the nuance of a real conversation. It’s the hesitation, the tone and the insight hidden between the lines. The concerns that don’t fit neatly into a drop-down menu.

“It’s great to be tech-savvy, but don’t text or email when you should be calling. The quality of business communications has become poorer in recent years as people avoid phone calls and face-to-face meetings, I can only assume, in some misguided quest for efficiency,” said Sir Richard Branson in Business Insider.

Phone calls are raw and unfiltered - and that’s where the value lies. Recently, we assisted a university in promoting government-funded business support programmes. The recipient was so impressed they traced the call back to us and commissioned further work. That’s the power of a good conversation.

The Listening Advantage: We’ve all heard it before: “You have two ears and one mouth for a reason.” Phone work sharpens your ability to listen - and to hear what people aren’t saying. This skill makes you a stronger researcher, presenter, teammate and leader. Harvard Business Review notes that leaders who listen actively build trust and perform better. At Blueberry, we call it our “thirst for knowledge.”

Our callers speak to every type of role and industry, building empathy and adaptability that no dashboard can match. We call it our “thirst for knowledge.” Our callers speak to every type of role and industry, building empathy and adaptability that no dashboard can match.

Experimentation & Adaptability: Every call is a live experiment. If something isn’t working, you adapt in real-time. When done right, telemarketing is the art of human connection at scale - honest, open dialogue. We achieve excellent results by monitoring KPIs and call scores, with managers offering guidance and feedback. Account managers and team leaders share accountability - they all started on the phones themselves. This shared experience ensures leaders can coach others with credibility and insight.

Over time, our staff get better at communicating and become more effective marketers. They learn what captures attention, which objections matter and how to adjust quickly. Phones - outdated? No, they’re as timeless as Margherita pizza. (Great, I’m thirsty and hungry now.) Perfect for sharpening strategy, adapting messaging and truly understanding your audience.

The Human Case: How Phones Shape Careers & Culture 

Culture, Empathy & Leadership: Everyone begins on the phones here - regardless of role. It’s a bit like a team-bonding ritual, but with fewer cold-water swims and more rejection calls. Our managers know exactly what it feels like to be ghosted or chase an opportunity. Good leaders don’t direct from above - they’ve lived the journey.

“My journey with Blueberry started during university when I worked part-time as a telemarketer,” said Account Manager Imogen Steiner. “It boosted my confidence, improved my communication skills and taught me the importance of those early conversations.

“During my placement year, I received support to ‘find my feet’ and understand what I enjoyed. I worked on campaigns, proposals and client-facing work. That experience helped me identify my strengths.” Since graduating, Imogen rejoined us full-time and completed a CIM Level 6 Diploma.

Resilience, Confidence & Agility: Let’s be real: calling strangers can be as fun as stepping on Lego barefoot! But that’s why it’s the perfect training ground. It builds resilience and communication confidence that applies everywhere in business.

Staying calm, turning objections on their head, and pushing through builds grit - the kind that serves you well when pitching to demanding clients, dazzling your boss, or handling that co-worker who keeps leaving teabags in the sink.

The Public Speaking Academy has highlighted that strong phone presence enhances client relationships, boosts sales and strengthens leadership. It states: “With remote work and digital communication becoming the norm, managers must empower their millennial teams to communicate with clarity, confidence, and authority. A strong phone presence can enhance client relationships, boost sales, and reinforce leadership impact.”

Hannah Prevett, Associate Business Editor at The Sunday Times, recently wrote on LinkedIn how the pandemic disrupted early-career learning and prevented many young professionals from developing informal, in-person communication skills. Many began their careers behind screens, gaining digital skills but lacking confidence in real conversations. Phone work helps rebuild these capabilities and reconnect the workplace.

From Phones to Entrepreneurship: More than 25 Blueberry alumni have gone on to run their own successful businesses. (Just saying.) Phones instil entrepreneurial skills: confidence, resilience, the ability to read people and build relationships. Once you’ve turned a cold call into a warm lead, starting your own venture feels much less daunting.

Tackling Telephobia: We can’t ignore the stigma. Some see phone work as “beneath them.” Others fear making or receiving calls. In a world where email and texts dominate, a phone call stands out as a clear sign of presence, like a neon sign saying: “Hey, I’m still here.” 

Steven Bartlett, co-founder of Social Chain, has spoken about his struggles with telephobia and how working on the phones helped him overcome it. It gave him the communication skills for high-pressure business situations and helped shape his career as a CEO.

We encourage businesses to consider where their own “frontline” is. Leaders who have been there build stronger teams and workplace cultures.