20 Words to Watch

Supposedly, the following 20  words compose 25 percent of all spoken American English words:
Pronouns: I, you, they, it, he, she, what, that, this;
Articles: the, a; 
Verbs: is, have, do;
Prepositions: to, of, in, on;
Others: not, and.
They are often the words that trip up the best typists and proofreaders.

Small Words and Fast Friends

I hear highly technical professionals say, "I'll have to dumb it down" in reference to their non-technical audience. News flash: non-technical professionals can understand technical concepts when those concepts are described and explained in common, familiar language. We can all take a lesson from a language and communication expert, as excepted below.

From Richard Lederer's essay, "The Case for Small Words":
"Short words are as good as long ones, and short, old words--like sun and grass and home--are best of all.... Short words are bright like sparks that glow in the night, prompt like the dawn that greets the day, sharp like the blade of a knife, hot like salt tears that scald the cheek, quick like moths that flit from flame to flame, and terse like the dart and sting of a bee.... Short words are like fast friends. They will not let you down."

Let's not let one another down either! Treat your audience like a "fast friend."

Tips for Writing Better Business Documents

Business writing can be ineffective: wordy, confusing, rambling, and full of acronyms. One tip for writing better documents is to follow the 10 steps below.
The Pre-writing Stage:
Step 1. Prepare (mentally, physically, environmentally...)
Step 2. Generate (question, interview, research, determine objectives)
Step 3. Organize (cluster, outline, subordinate, coordinate...)
Step 4. Develop (add details, examples, sensory word choices, action verbs, concrete nouns...)
The Writing Stage:
Step 5. Draft (a document written from the writer's perspective)
Step 6. Compose (a document written for the reader's perspective)
The Post-writing Stage:
Step 7. Incubate (allow time for relaxation or diversion from the writing task)
Step 8. Edit (add, delete, change..)
Step 9. Revise (make the edits)
Step 10. Proofread (correct any errors, distractions, or distortions)
Second Tip: Using a template for routine messages can simplify the Pre-writing Stage.
Third Tip: Write out the words of any acronym you want to use; follow the words with the acronym in parentheses, and use the acronym thereafter in the document.
Fourth Tip: Ask for help from others to edit and proofread. Remember you should be your first proofreader and your last proofreader; nonetheless, you are also your worst proofreader. Why? Because you know what you meant to say and may not recognize that you failed to say it clearly.
Fifth Tip: Use reverse scheduling to make appointments with yourself for the writing process--step by step--to be completed before your deadline!

Writer's Bill of Rights

The writer has the right
1. To ask questions to explore the audience, the purpose, and pertinent content.
2. To think and plan before writing a sentence.
3. To draft out of order and rearrange later.
4. To use punctuation to guide the reader's understanding, sentence by sentence.
5. To add transitions to plot a logical progression of thoughts.
6. To use spell check and a collegiate-size, hardcopy dictionary.
7. To use grammar check and a style guide, such as William Sabin's Gregg Manual of Style.
8. To read aloud to hear the word choices, flow, and tone.
9. To ask a trusted reader to give feedback.
10. To revise and rewrite to satisfaction or perfection, as time and task warrant.
Furthermore, these rights assist the writer in fulfilling the writer's duty: making the reader's job of reading, comprehending, thinking--and maybe, even, agreeing--easy.

Love and Honor

June 8, an anniversary to commemorate. I refused to say "Love, Honor, and Obey" in my vows and said "Love and Honor" instead. My parents dropped "Till Death Do Us Part" from their vows. I have continued to send Momma an anniversary card every September 26 since Daddy's passing, as she still feels married to him. Words can be worth living and dying for: "Of the People, For the People and By the People." When I was growing up, I heard my mom say, "A promise is a dead-on pay." She was angry any time she said those words, so I never asked her what she meant. Usually, one of my siblings had informed her of an injustice in which one of us had not kept a promise. I figured I had to die keeping any promise I made. During an early marriage, I did face the choice of inevitably dying at the hands of a man who said he loved me and who acted as if he hated me. After we parted ways, I read a Shakespearian quote: "A promise is a debt unpaid." I called my mom who swore she had said that all along. Whether it had been a matter of her enunciation or my auditory discrimination remains unresolved. Nonetheless, I stayed in an unhealthy marriage too long because of a faulty belief that I must die keeping my vow. Later, a friend pointed out my June 8 husband had broken his vow to "Love and Honor" me before I finally realized I would have to break mine to stay alive. Be careful with words. Choose the ones you will live by with care. Your children are watching.

Recognition

Employees' top criticism of management in the workplace: not being recognized for what they do well. We all are informed of managers' opinions of our errors or poor performance, if not immediately, then on the next performance evaluation/review/assessment. Whether you are a manager or a coworker, you can turn that around. Recognition can be formal or informal: it simply must celebrate the person or team being recognized for contributions or achievements. A funny awards ceremony in the cafeteria, a "thank you" at a team meeting, a posted proclamation at a work station--use your imagination. Traditional ideas include pizza party, dress-down days, and cruises. Innovative ideas include traveling trophies, role exchanges, and competitions with bragging rights. Bring good performance and results to others' attention to increase morale, retention, satisfaction, performance, and results. Acknowledge specific, positive behaviors to encourage more positivity--and, ultimately, more productivity and profitability. Send a thank you note to someone at work today!

Fairness

"No fair!" A child's chant heard across playgrounds and inside homes everywhere. When a child's wishes or wants go unacknowledged or unfulfilled, the child expresses injustice. We harbor that child inside all of us and do not seem to outgrow the chant: "No fair!" Human Resources offices and courts overflow says, "No fair." Someone gets promoted, and someone else says, "No fair." A company downsizes: "No fair." Mandatory training: No fair. Can't get your first choice for vacation: No fair. Decades ago, a mentor told me, "Fair is getting what you want, and unfair is not getting it." So, how do we define fairness in the workplace? Equal opportunity? Equitable treatment? Taking turns? Being recognized for good performance or results? Being paid a living wage? Being paid for experience or responsibility? Certainly, fairness implies teamwork, or at least acceptance of the criteria within the boundaries of the law and policies. As team members have input in the fairness criteria, they will have fewer complaints regarding limited resources and fulfillments. This is an area managers can share control to show they care. "It's only fair."

Ask and Ask Again

I remember wondering why my three younger sisters had so many party dresses when they were in college, so I asked my dad. His reply: "Because they asked." Hm. I thought about my two high school prom dresses--one I made, one I got on sale. I learned then if I had asked for what I wanted, daddy would have had a better chance of helping me get it. I also learned that I can supply my own needs with a little initiative. Do you find you assume the budget will not permit you to get what you want or need? Do you remain silent, allowing others to assume you have what you need to get the job done well? Maybe the budget is set and you have to think about the next budget. If you begin asking now and have compelling reasons, chances are greater that you will be rewarded with a line item. You can sometimes accomplish a shift in priorities by being the squeaky wheel or the incessant cookie requester. Remaining silent rarely changes minds or circumstances; speaking up for what you need or want can.