WEBVTT

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JustLearn. Voice notes should consider the person listening. A convenient way to

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speak is not always a convenient way for somebody else to receive

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the information. This edition uses synthetic narration.

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Notice the work your preferred format creates. You can explain an idea

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quickly by speaking. The recipient may be on a train, in a

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shared office or trying to locate one date inside a seven-minute recording.

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Your easiest method of sending has become their hardest method of checking.

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This does not make voice notes inconsiderate by definition. They can carry

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warmth, nuance and a sense of company. The question is whether the

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format fits the situation and the person's preference, rather than being treated

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as the default they must accommodate.

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Separate the human message from the practical details. If you send a

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recording about an arrangement, add the essential information in text: date, time,

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place and any decision required. The other person can then retrieve the

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details without listening again. Keep sensitive information out of a recording someone

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might play where others can hear. If you are receiving a format

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that does not work for you, ask for what would help. ‘I

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cannot listen during work; could you text the decision you need?’ gives

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a practical reason and an alternative. You need not criticise the sender's

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personality to explain your own circumstances.

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Let convenience be negotiated. Different people communicate comfortably in different ways. Ask

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rather than assume. A brief recording may suit one friendship and be

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awkward in another. Captions, written summaries or a scheduled conversation can sometimes

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make participation easier, but preferences should come from the people involved. Try

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reviewing the last message you sent that required action. Could the recipient

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find the request quickly? Did they have enough context to respond? Communication

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includes the work of receiving, finding and using information. Paying attention to

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that work is a practical form of consideration, especially when the technology

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makes sending almost effortless.

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A question to take with you. Is this format making the message

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easier for both people, or only easier for me to send? First

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published by JustLearn. Read the original article at justlearn dot online.