| Creating written documents reveals so much about | | | | dialogue is so easy to do instead of expressing |
| you and your business skills. Your writing tells the | | | | complete thoughts in a sentence. Perhaps, because |
| reader about your educational background, pride in | | | | we are a telephone-oriented society, the keyboard |
| your work and business expertise. The emergence of | | | | simply becomes an extension of our phone voice and |
| the paperless office, e-mail, the internet and web | | | | frequently incomplete phrases dominate a message. |
| pages only increases the power of the written word. | | | | Readers may think that this writing also indicates your |
| Any company with employees who can write clearly | | | | incomplete logic and business services.Do you use |
| and concisely has a competitive edge over others | | | | correct English? As far as incorrect punctuation, |
| who are still struggling to communicate.Is your | | | | awkward sentences and bad grammar, you need to |
| correspondence free of any errors? In this day of | | | | examine your writing skills and take these steps to |
| computers with spell and grammar check, it is so easy | | | | improve them:1. Audit your business writing yourself |
| to let your writing skills lapse. The computer scans the | | | | and try to learn from your mistakes. Use your |
| correct spelling of a word, but it is a homonym with the | | | | computer grammar tools, but double-check with a |
| wrong meaning for your sentence. This error shows | | | | dictionary or grammar book.2. Find someone who can |
| the reader that either you don't know the difference or | | | | edit your material.3. Hire employees for writing skills. In |
| you're too lazy to check and edit.Is your writing full of | | | | this way, you will have someone around to edit or |
| words that people don't understand? Many times, you | | | | write material for you.4. Read. Reading will improve |
| are so rushed to compose a business document that | | | | your writing skills. Keep on hand business documents |
| you use easy methods to get it done. The result is | | | | that you admire.5. Practice. Don't just pick up the phone |
| business documents are often filled with buzzwords, | | | | to communicate; get in the habit of expressing your |
| cryptic dialogue and outdated phrases. Readers won't | | | | ideas in letters or e-mail.6. Seek professional resources. |
| say that they don't understand what you are writing, | | | | Consult books like Gloria Pincu's Bull's Eye Business |
| but will note not to use your business services. Keep | | | | Writing: 10 Easy Guides for Getting to Your Writing |
| your writing simple and current. Writing styles are like | | | | Target. Search the Internet. Seek training courses.See |
| fashion and have indeed changed over the years. You | | | | my web site for information about my online courses |
| must keep up with today's business practices and | | | | at: Pincu is founder of Basic Learning Systems, Inc., a |
| expectations, but beware of certain crutches such as | | | | management training and consulting organization. As a |
| buzzwords, industry jargon and cliches. Buzzwords are | | | | consultant/trainer, Ms. Pincu has drawn heavily on her |
| trendy terms and expressions that sometimes mean | | | | own business experience as well as from the |
| nothing, but seem impressive. "Like fertilizer, buzzwords | | | | academic world. She has been an entrepreneur, a |
| are spread generously over documents in hope that | | | | sales manager, a computer salesperson, a teacher of |
| brilliant ideas will miraculously take root. Unfortunately, | | | | writing, communication skills and English, and a |
| ideas don't grow in manure," describes Will Stockdell, a | | | | consultant /training specialist to corporations, hospitals, |
| professional Internet writer. You want to make sure | | | | government, and educational organizations.Since |
| that everyone understands your written ideas.The last | | | | founding Basic Learning Systems, Inc., a Certified |
| thing you want to do is to give the impression that your | | | | Minority Business Enterprise, in 1980, Gloria has |
| writing is too formal or outdated. A more direct way of | | | | facilitated many hundreds of training programs. She |
| writing has replaced some standard business phrases. | | | | has designed and conducted programs on topics |
| Examples of this are "As per your request" now | | | | covering customer service, total quality management, |
| becomes "As you requested" or "Enclosed please find | | | | supervisory skills, business and technical writing, |
| " now becomes "I am enclosing." Also, the previous | | | | managing change, interpersonal skills, team building, |
| impersonal style of business writing that avoided the | | | | creative thinking, stress management, and professional |
| use of "I" has been changed to use a limited amount of | | | | secretary techniques for numerous organizations |
| "I" to give directness and warmth.How often have you | | | | including Pratt & Whitney Aircraft, IBM Corporation, |
| typed away what you wanted to say, rather than | | | | American Express, National Council on Compensation |
| what you needed to write? Slipping into abbreviated | | | | Insurance, Ryder Truck Rental, Inc. |