All Things Transcription

I believe that one of the hardest thing to adjust to when working from home is the process of learning how to communicate almost exclusively on a completely impersonal level with your coworkers. It is a great lesson in how much people depend on nonverbal communication while communicating verbally.

For instance, when you are speaking to someone face to face, facial expressions are a big part of how we know the other person is feeling about what we are saying. During the course of the conversation we receive many clues. Of course there are the obvious ones; smiling, frowning, head nodding or shaking. However, there are many more subtle cues in facial expressions that we pick up on without realizing it.

The whole human body reveals the truth of what is being said even if it is contradictory. Shoulders, arms and hands can shrug, cross themselves or gesture. For instance, if the person you are communicating with says that they are open to what you are saying but their arms are akimbo across their chest, they may not really mean it.

All of these things help us to communicate with each other. In fact, it has been proven that people who are not good at recognizing clues such as these are prone to difficulties in social situations, often to the point of being incapable of maintaining normal relationships.

So how do we make up for this deficit in communication when we work alone at home with only email and IM for human contact with our colleagues? It must be understood that these forms of communication can often cause trouble since they do not offer the normal clues we are used to. Even with cutsie little emoticons, it can be a job in and of itself to avoid the pitfalls.

The number one thing to consider in preventing misunderstandings is to think before you fire off that email or tell that joke on IM. Think about what you are trying to say and focus on the fact that what you are writing is the only thing that the person on the other end will see. Injecting a little humor into things can often be the cause of some big problems.

However, do not go too far in the opposite direction. Since this is the only way to connect with your coworkers, do try to be pleasant in your communications. If you contact someone with a question, open the email or IM with a greeting. Remember to close your communications with something appropriate, such as hoping the party has a good day.

You may also want to consider the accepted tones for different situations. Talking to the QA person you have a friendly relationship with over IM and emailing the CEO are 2 completely different tones. Spelling errors are acceptable over IM but I bet the CEO would not appreciate it.

Writing has a tone, just as a voice does. How you say something in writing can indeed give the person you are communicating with a good idea of how you feel so think before you type.

There is a Chinese curse that goes, “May you live in interesting times.” On the surface this does not seem like a curse at all. No one likes to be bored. If you live in interesting times, you do not have to worry about boredom. However, interesting times are often periods filled with strife on both a personal level and a global level. Boredom equals peace, in other words.

Read more »

How is everyone? I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season!

So here we are beginning a new year. That means it is time for resolutions. Perhaps a better name for them would be The-Road-to-Hell Resolutions. We all know what that road is paved with.

Read more »

Propaganda; the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines it as:

The spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person.
Ideas, facts, or allegations spread deliberately to further one's cause or to damage an opposing cause; also: a public action having such an effect.

Read more »