This edition of ‘WordPower’ deals with the word choices you make every day – more simple best practices to improve your routine workplace writing.
word choices
Harness the Power of Words
Content Always Rules in workplace writing … and the words you use deliver that content. To help you Harness the Power of Words, let’s discuss some of my favorite ‘Worst Practices’ – the poor word choices we often make and why we make them. Typically, my executive coaching clients fall victim to three flaws affecting the words they use … and don’t use.
Harness the Power of Your Words
Effective workplace communicators and presenters have learned to harness the power of their words. Whether delivering a message over the phone, in writing or in a presentation, effective word choices do make a big difference in how the message is understood, appreciated and turned into action.
A Very Unique Request
Regular readers know how much I love to rant about ineffective word choices, so please humor me about ‘very unique’. ‘Unique’ can’t be modified. Ever. Period. Therefore ‘very unique’ is wrong, so is ‘somewhat unique’ and ‘really unique’.
Activate Active Voice!
Based on some calls and notes from readers, some of you are seriously challenging your word use habits in routine workplace communication. Great – I was hoping that would happen. Effective word use is the same, whether the medium you use to communicate those words is an email, a phone call, a face-to-face conversation or a more formal presentation.
Choose Your Words Wisely!
The words you use in routine workplace writing, interactions and presentations do make a difference. They can impact your results, professionalism and image as a receiver-centric communicator. Or, your words can detract from those results. So, choose your words wisely!
To help you on this journey, enjoy this summary of 12 Best Practices or ‘Recurring Themes’ I typically share in my training or coaching engagements. I don’t ask participants to change any of their word use or style habits. But, I often ask them to challenge those habits themselves in light of what we discuss. If they decide to change any of them, that’s fine. If not, that’s fine, too.