I do NOT like message recall/replacement. I prefer to NOT use it during online conversations, for both personal and work-related sessions.

Recall or replacement messages encourage people to avoid taking responsibility for their words. It’s like saying, “I can say whatever I want, and if I regret it, I can just take it back.” It’s a way to avoid the consequences of our actions.

Also at the professional level, it’s a way to avoid accountability. If I have sent a message to a client or a colleague, I want to be responsible for what I said, which means, if I made a mistake, I will have to apologize and correct it. I don’t want to be able to take it back, and pretend it never happened.

We all “pretend” to be professional and perfect, but it will cost too much to be perfect. As a contrast, I prefer to be honest and transparent. If my colleagues or clients do not accept my apologies, I deserve it.

Anyway, it would only happen if I could take the responsibility for my words. Sometimes I work for company and the style of company require us to use message recall/replacement. In that case, I will use it anyway, but I will not like it.

No one will ever be perfect, and we all make mistakes. But it’s important to learn from them, and not just erase them. It’s important to be able to say, “I’m sorry, I made a mistake,” and move on.