Very high on my list of Workplace Presenter ‘Worst Practices’ is using the simple, seemingly innocent little 3 x 5 note cards for speaker notes. They’re way too small to be of much value.
Rants & Raves
Why I Love ‘Plus/Delta’ Feedback
Giving constructive feedback is an essential management skill that escapes most supervisors. Feedback is all about helping people get better at what they’re doing. Effective feedback is neither positive or negative – it’s just information – information that is specific, observable, helpful, timely and focused.
Why I Hate (2)
I recently got a document from a client asking me to ‘review and comment on two (2) different versions of the plan’. I’m not making this up – people still think they need to tell readers that the word ‘two’ means ‘# 2’. Really? Most workplace readers know that and reminding them can be insulting or annoying. It is to me.
Why I Hate Hearing ‘Cleveland, OH’
I regularly ‘attend’ networking or business events in Cleveland (zoom meetings these days), where people introduce their businesses. Lots of them mention that they’re located in Cleveland, Ohio or Lakewood, Ohio or Beachwood, Ohio, etc. I hate that.
Why I Love Verbs
I Love Verbs – I really do. They’re strong, dynamic, action words compared to nouns, which are static things with no power or energy.
Why I Hate “Work/Life Balance”
This month’s rant is about a cliché we all hear and many of us use – ‘Work/Life Balance’. I understand and love the concept … but I hate the words used. So please humor this incurable wordsmith a little.
Why I Love Caller ID … and So Should You
I love Caller ID – I really do. Here’s why – my business phone is a simple residential line and the number is published. Yes … I still have a land line.
Why I Hate ‘So …’
When did ‘so’ become the new ‘ummm’? Listen to any TV or cable talk show when the host asks the guest a question. Most of the guests start the answer with ‘So … ‘. Perhaps a little less annoying than ‘umm’, but this vocalized pause gets old fast if each answer begins that way. While ‘so’ is an actual word, it doesn’t add any meaning or context to the message. It just sits there … like a different version of ‘Um … ‘
Why I Love ‘How …’
If you typically answer the phone or greet customers with ‘ … can I help you?’ – nothing wrong with that. It’s short, courteous and prompts an answer. Good for you. But the answer could be ‘no’, since that’s one of the implied choices in this ‘closed’ question.
Why I Hate ‘Multiple’
When did ‘multiple’ become the new ‘many’? ‘Multiple’ means ‘very many of the same thing.’ But so do ‘ many’, ‘several’ and ‘numerous’. These words are just as clear or clearer than ‘multiple’ without so many other meanings and sounding a little pompous. So, the next time you find yourself about to write or say … Read more