dominated; charged; no wonder; compelled to; response 1. In the 20th century, when telephone calls our work lives, it was awful. 2. When we listened to our voicemail, we felt respond. 3. Taking just a few minutes to think about a message often led to a more thoughtful than an immediate, half-baked phone reply. 4. Before e-mail, we had had to think, at least a little, before placing a phone call, not just because we would be a few cents but because we knew we were going to interrupt the other person. 5. It’s that businesses are getting nervous.