(This post was originally published in 2019, but it is still remarkably relevant as I update it in January 2021.) We’re going to talk about business writing skills, but let’s start with a more appealing topic first… Do you have an activity or interest that constantly challenges you to learn? Horses top my list. They challenge me to keep learning because they are also learning. Every time we master one thing, it simply moves us on to the next. Plus riding more than one horse means learning one thing in different...
“I never said you stole the money.” Have you seen that sentence before? That simple phrase is proof that our writing at work must work harder to communicate better. Here’s how: Read the sentence out loud five times and change the word you emphasize each time. As you do, you change the meaning of the sentence too, like this… “I never said you stole the money” means someone else said you stole the money. “I never said you stole the money” means I’m defending myself against an accusation. “I never said you stole the money” means...
Learning to be a more confident writer at work is good for your brand, the business and the bottom line! It’s sad but true: People often tell me they were nervous to have me read their writing…even when it was simply an email they sent me as part of doing business. Although plenty of people in the business world write without any such qualms, many others lack confidence in their workplace writing skills. And it is for those who want to be a more confident writer at work that I write this post… The lack of confidence is...
What’s scarier than Halloween haunts? Sucky workplace writing! Halloween is here, but you know what’s really scary? The billions of dollars lost each year due to sucky workplace writing. How many billions? How scary can this really be? Oh, it’s terrifying, trust me: $400 billion. Every. Single. Year. If that number doesn’t scare you, it should. Picture 400 billion one-dollar bills piled up high and set on fire…a huge bonfire of money going up in smoke, leaving only a dusting of ashes behind. That’s $400 billion gone, just gone. Can...
Are you confident in your business writing skills? Or do you get a little nervous when you have to write something for work? Like an email to your boss or a presentation for a meeting perhaps? I can relate. I made my living as a writer for two decades, and I still get nervous when I write for work…even as I write this blog post! But I have a secret weapon that I know gives me an edge—and I’m going to share it with you in this blog post. This secret weapon will power up your business writing skills and boost your confidence. The...
Want advice that will help your relationships AND your writing at work? Read on! Here’s the scenario: The husband tells me “I washed the dishes.” And so starts a sequence of events that has played out many times in our household—one that can be avoided, both in our marriages and in our writing at work. Why? Because while he did in fact wash some of the dishes, he did not in fact wash all of the dishes. And that lack of specific wording sets up an expectation on my part that’s not met, leading to frustration. He was not specific and...
