Communication
Networking may seem like a mysterious skill that’s beyond your grasp, but actually, it’s as simple as this Golden Rule: Always offer to help, and never expect anything in return. Three ways the rule works:
Research shows that people take longer to reply to voice messages than other types of communication. Even getting a voice message heard is a challenge. So what can you do to ensure that people respond to a message you leave them? Try these tips:
Are you “smothering” perfectly good verbs? Example: You turn “decide” into a noun, making it “decision.” Then you need to use “decision” as a verb, so you write, “make a decision”—forgetting that you could simply use “decide.”
It pays to be a good politician, according to a new survey by Robert Half. Workers were asked, “In your opinion, what effect, if any, does involvement in office politics have on one’s career?” Their responses:
Phil, an administrative assistant, recently lamented that his efforts to improve his boss’s communication were going unheeded. But perhaps it’s not what Phil’s boss wants from Phil. When someone hands you his work to look over, first determine what he wants in return.
In business writing, bullet points often replace regular old paragraphs, with good reason: Readers can scan them faster. Stick to these standards for using bullets effectively:
Sarah spent the afternoon working on a quarterly report for her boss, only to hear this when she delivered it at day’s end: “This isn’t a final version, is it? It won’t be a problem for you to work overtime today and fix this, will it?” Her boss just delivered a question trap—a leading question.
Hold a mobile device at eye level to avoid “text neck.” Dr. Dean Fishman adopted the phrase after seeing a huge influx of younger patients visiting his chiropractor facility … Avoid writing redundant combinations that give readers a sense of “deja vu all over again” …
When to use “who” and “whom,” which confuses many people:
Build a stronger relationship with your boss by never letting these phrases cross your lips: 1. “It’s not my job.” 2. “It’s not my fault.” 3. “I can’t work with Person A.” 4. “I can’t do X, because I have to do Y.” 5. “That’s not possible.”
Is it “100” or “one hundred”? Know how to express a number in your business writing with these rules from Daily Writing Tips:
Most improv performers could tell you about this crucial rule of great improv: You’ve got to listen to your scene partner. Otherwise, you may miss an important cue or the opportunity to collaborate on a creative idea. It’s the same in the workplace. Here’s an improv activity that’s worth a try:
Elevate your business writing by ridding it of these common misuses and abuses: 1. Ill-placed question marks. 2. Cool-sounding buzzwords. 3. Clichés.
