What's a polite way to tell a colleague that she is a LOUD talker?

Question

I have a colleague that seems to have her volume set to "high" all the time. She speaks too loudly when we are in person, on trains, at the bank, in restaurants, in taxis...wherever and whenever.

She is the only person that I have to hold the phone way out and away from my ear when she is talking. She just blasts through. I feel rude telling her to be quiet all the time. I don't know her that well so I can't joke around with her like she is an old friend. It is getting to the point where it is embarrassing to be in public with her. Do you have any *tactful* ideas?

She is not hard of hearing and yes, I know to turn my phone down but it is a pain because then I can't hear anyone else. It is a complicated function on my particular cell phone.

Answer 1

there is no tactful way. just say you know you are very loud spoken could you possibly turn it down a notch.

Answer 2

Is it possible your friend is hard of hearing? If that's the case, then it certainly explains it. Some people are just loud. One of my dear friends is very loud, but he can take a joke so I kid him about it. I don't know how your friend would respond, but perhaps you can first try to learn if she does have loss of hearing and if she does not, sweetly say, "I don't know if you realize this, but you're talking very loudly and I'm right here in front of you. I can hear you just fine." As for the phone, turn down the volume on it when she calls and that might help.

Answer 3

Simple... lean into her/his ear....And yell in thier ear... you talk to loud....see if they will hear you now.