What’s All the Noise (Part 1)

Bad writing habits confuse your readers

Early in my communications career I wrote letters for the VP of my division. When I’d finished a draft, I’d send it to him and wait for his approval. He’d pick over every word and wouldn’t sign off until it was simple enough for a 12-year-old boy to understand. At first I blamed him for being a stickler, but I soon realized that he was stumbling over MY words and MY bad writing habits. Through these long wordsmith sessions I came to understand the concept of noise.

What is noise?
Noise is anything that stops your message from reaching your reader. For example, if the network goes down, the message won’t arrive. If your topic is highly technical, some readers might miss your point. Emotions and other human dynamics also play a role, but they’re a bit tricky to predict. I’d like to focus on the noise you can control: your bad habits.

The Top 5 Sources of Noise in Business Writing
Every year I review thousands of emails, letters, memos, and reports. To survive my workload, I split it into two stacks; one pile with the items I want to read, and a second pile with the ones I don’t. Here are the top five problems that send your work to the second pile:

1.    Sloppy layout
If my first glance tells me that your document is going to be difficult or time- consuming, it goes straight to pile two. If you can’t take an extra minute to make it easy for me, I’m not going to waste my time cleaning up your mess. Noise Control Techniques: Make the design easy on the eyes: short paragraphs, bolded sub-headings, bullet lists, and white space between paragraphs.

2. Poor structure
My brain, like most, needs structure to make sense of information. In a well written document, I can see the flow after one quick scan. Noise Control Techniques: Learn how to sequence your thoughts so your reader will follow your logic EFFORTLESSLY.

3. Fuzzy or missing message
Your ‘Big Idea’ is the engine that makes your communication run, and I should be able to spot it right away.  Noise Control Techniques: Write a message that’s clear, concise and compelling, and place it near the beginning. Better yet, preview the Big Idea in the subject line or title.

4. Long sentences
A sentence is a group of words that conveys a thought.  Not two, three or ten thoughts. ONE THOUGHT. Please don’t make me decipher long, rambling sentences. Noise Control Techniques: Keep your average sentence length between 17 – 20 words.

5. Formal tone
Even though Plain English is becoming the standard style for workplace communication in North America, many people still believe that business writing should be formal and impersonal. Noise Control Techniques: Practice writing the way you speak – be natural, friendly, and informal. You can’t go wrong with a personal approach.

Closing Remarks:
I’m tempted to write a long wrap-up here, but I know you’re ready to get on to other things, and more words will be noise to you. So I’ll conclude by saying that if you want people to read your stuff, keep these five big stumbling blocks out of your writing.

By Geoff Weinstein

Vocabulary: the real meaning of “of course”

I was on the phone recently getting some tech support. As is often the case, I was talking with someone from India. I wanted to know whether I was doing something correctly and, after explaining it to the technician, I asked if I was doing it in the right way. “Of course!” he responded.

To me that sounded like “Obviously,” which is what it would mean if I used it in that context. My immediate response was, “Don’t talk to me like that. It’s not obvious to me!”

Later I thought about it and realized a few things about the expression. Commonly, there are two meanings for “of course.”

One meaning is: “It’s obvious.” This could also be interpreted as: “You are an idiot for not realizing that.” If someone asks you how to do something and you are irritated with them, say “of course” if you want them to feel like it is totally obvious and they are probably a little slow to not realize it. This isn’t so polite when someone is asking about themselves. But if someone asks something about you, for example if you are really going to do something — as in: “Are you really going to try sky diving?” – you can say “of course” to mean they shouldn’t doubt it. This sounds polite.

The other meaning is the one my tech support person really meant. If I am visiting you and want to take something from the fridge — for example: “Can I get some milk from the fridge for my coffee?” – if you answer “of course,” it would be interpreted as “please, you are welcome to take what you want.” In this case, it has a similar meaning to the first but it really means “of course you can take what you want.” It sounds generous and friendly.

The main thing to watch out for is when someone is unsure about their own knowledge and/or ability. Then you should probably just say “Yes.”
Phrasal verbs are verbs that are used with prepositions or adverbs, thus creating a different meaning from the original verb. For example, TURN is different than TURN ON (meaning to flick the switch to on, or the more sexual meaning of to excite) or TURN INTO (which means to become or convert into something different.)

One thing to remember is that, with phrasal verbs, we put emphasis on the preposition (technically called a particle for grammatical reasons.) So we say, “WATCH OUT,” making the word OUT louder and higher and longer than we would normally pronounce a preposition. This increased stress is one thing that indicates a phrasal verb.

Here’s an example of how confusing a phrasal verb can be. “Mary RAN INTO her old friend Hassan, who is visiting from Pakistan.” A non-native speaker could be forgiven for wondering whether Mary physically collided with her visiting friend – the use of the verb “to run” is misleading, if read literally. But, in day-to-day meaning, this phrasal verb could be used to describe an unexpected, chance meeting.

Here’s another phrasal verb that can connote something unexpected: “I thought that Mary would still be out of town last weekend, but she SHOWED UP at the party.” For non-native speakers who are familiar with the common use of the verb “to show,” the use of a phrasal verb like this might sound confusing.

One more example: “Mary wanted to come to the concert last night, but she CAME DOWN with the same cold virus that Hassan caught on the weekend.” Obviously, in context, the use of “to come” or “to come down” does not depict the arrival of someone or something, nor does it illustrate a descent. Rather, “come down” is used to describe the act of contracting, catching or developing something, like an illness or a case of nerves. Naturally, for non-native English-speakers, this phrasal verb lays a potential trap for confusion or misunderstanding.

Despite the endless variations of phrasal verbs, paying attention to the stressed preposition or particle will help you to identify its presence. Then you can ask or look it up to see what it means.

By Heather Chetwynd

Next BIG Thing: Obtaining an RHB Designation

If you were to tally all the energy, dollars and time that you spent on obtaining all those educational degrees and designations that brought you to where you are today, what would it all amount to? Can you even accurately measure it? Upgrading your skills ain’t cheap, but it’s a crucial part of maintaining career resilience. Sometimes, however, in the rush to become exceedingly informed and marketable, we mistake the forest for the trees.

A number of years ago, at the annual HRPA conference, I came across someone who sported a button that read “RHB”. Turns out he got this at another conference, where participants were encouraged to invest time and energy into adding the RHB initials beside their names, in the same way that one would add any other degree or designation they had earned.

Except that these particular initials represent an educational experience that never ends .This is a degree you have to diligently work on each and every day. Because ‘RHB’ stands for “Real Human Being”.

There are times when being an RHB seems like the easiest things in the world. With little effort you can claim to be a legitimate member of the Order of RHB’s. But then there are those other times, where it takes a huge amount of thought, effort and largesse to be one. Yes, those instances where you betrayed your own principles and values while telling yourself that you have no choice but to do it. Or the times you do or say something that you later regret, or when someone points out to you that your actions were hurtful or unsupportive.

Since the RHB designation is something that is built in layers, one day at a time, one action at a time, following are ‘Seven Ups’ that you may want to live by:

1.    Speak Up. In organizational life, there are times where injustice is done, or things happen that shouldn’t happen. When you encounter these situations, don’t rely on the tired excuse of ‘being nice’. Instead, speak up. Find a respectful, assertive way to do it. And remember to speak up in real-life, not just in the car on your way home, with only your own self as an audience.

2.    Shut Up. There’s a time to speak and a time to remain silent. Know the difference, and act accordingly. As a rule, keep mum anytime your words would be hurtful, gossipy or otherwise unkind.

3.    Lift Up. Lift your colleagues, employees or superiors up when they are down or stressed. Between personal demands, unmanageable workloads, pressing deadlines and difficult bosses, people around you can get easily discouraged. So do whatever it takes to lift them up, even if you too are just as down as they are.

4.    Fess Up. When you screw up, own your contribution. If you look closely enough, you’ll see that in almost every problematic situation there’s something that you did – as seemingly minute as it may have been – that contributed to the problem. Apologize for your part, fix it, and move on.

5.    Step Up. When there’s a void, step up to the plate, be a leader in your own one-of-a-kind way. You can be a shy introvert and still ‘step up’ to rise to whatever reality it is that requires you to be a real human.

6.    Team Up. If you’re part of a team (and who isn’t?), pull your weight. Contribute, give credit, share generously. Don’t withhold information or hoard power.

7.    Lighten Up. Relax, stop taking things so personally. Whatever happened or whatever it is that someone said or did, it’s really not the end of the world. Spray some Teflon on yourself, smile, and move on.
Sometimes it can be confusing to know what a ‘Real RHB’ should do in a particular situation. Recently, I attended a meeting of a professional association of which I am a member, where the evening speaker was going to be one of our own colleagues. This speaker had volunteered to provide us with tips for being successful in our craft. Someone suggested that we greet the speaker with a standing ovation, right at the outset, before he ever has a chance to begin his speech. A number of people enthusiastically jumped on the band wagon. Others were reluctant and even unwilling. They felt that a speaker should ‘earn’ the standing ovation.

If you examine this situation using our habitual criteria of merit and reward, you may indeed say that a speaker has to earn his reward. After all, why would we reward someone who hasn’t worked hard for it? Let him sweat a bit before we shower him with approval, we might say. On the other hand, if you examine this situation using the RHB filter, you arrive at a different result altogether. Using this lens, you may want to make the speaker feel supported and appreciated just for the heck of it. After all, we might say, here’s a great opportunity to Lift Up, Team Up, and Lighten Up. Clearly, providing the advance incentive is the right RHB thing to do.

And here’s the funny thing: if you behave like an RHB and provide that support in advance with no strings attached, the speaker will feel compelled to reciprocate the generous sentiment by delivering his absolute best performance.  Indeed, research shows that we humans are wired to even out the imaginary social ledger by reciprocating good deeds done for us, in fact that is why we feel compelled to utter a Thank You in response to anything that puts us in a ‘social debt’ situation. And once the grateful, energized speaker delivers his top performance, it is highly likely that his or her speech will in fact deserve a true standing ovation. Which is exactly what happened in our case.

By Sharon Bar-David

Power of Humour: Making it work at the office

I have spent a lot of time in hospitals lately as my dad deals with severe radiation burns. Despite the challenges, stress and lack of resources within the healthcare system, I’m amazed at hospital staff who use humour to put patients at ease.

Even a few simple words can get a patient to laugh, smile and momentarily forget their troubles. Here are some of my favorite hospital moments:

* Prior to surgery in August, staff had to put a hair net on my dad.  When they gave him an unattractive cap, they joked about having to take his picture.  Next when they had to get him slippers, they promised him the ‘Armanis”.  It was the perfect way to help lighten the stress of surgery.

* While my dad was waiting for one of the many tests, scans and procedures, one of the nurses told him “Running away was allowed”.

* An orderly, who took my dad for a CT scan, walked in calling him ‘handsome’ in the most respectful yet fun way.  Once he found out my dad’s last name was Woods, he started calling him Tiger after the famous golfer.  My dad and those around him laughed especially in light of the recent controversy surrounding Tiger.

If hospital employees can use humour effectively, you too can use it in your work environment to reduce stress, enhance relationships or improve teamwork.  Use humour in conversation, at meetings or in presentations. Start small, with these simple suggestions, until you find your comfort zone.

1.    Find funny quotes instead of making up your own humour.  There are many sources but try these two to start: http://thinkexist.com/quotations/funny/  and http://www.quotes-museum.com/

2.    Share a funny story. It’s easy to find funny stories or news however the best stories are ones that involve you.  Laughing at yourself allows your colleagues to see your humility, ability to take yourself lightly and your sense of humour.  Just ensure the story is appropriate for the office and won’t risk offending anyone.

3.    Repeat a great one liner or joke from a show, movie or comedy routine.  A few good examples for the office are” “Houston, we have a problem” (Apollo 13), “I’ve got a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore” (Wizard of Oz), or “Show me the money” (Jerry Maguire). Obviously it’s up to you to find an appropriate time and place to use any line.

The more you practice using humour at work, the more you’ll see its workplace benefits.

By Wendy Woods

The Quiet Agreement (Negotiating with Ourselves)

When we think about negotiating, what usually springs to mind is two people sitting down together to discuss a contract or a settlement or a term sheet. Sometimes if we are far-seeing, or if we’ve taken negotiation training, we realize that the ability to collaborate also serves us well at home. So while we will say we negotiate in business, and sometimes recognize that we also do so at home, rarely do we consider that we are in continuous negotiation with ourselves, and that it is the outcome of those inner agreements that determine how we live our lives.

Sometimes we collaborate well with ourselves. More often however, our agreements are poor. This is likely due to the fact that we didn’t apply the fundamental rule that underlies all good negotiations, which is to really listen to the other perspective.

Listening takes training and discipline; it doesn’t seem to come naturally to many of us. True, we listen to people in authority. We learned to do that as children. But as children, most of us weren’t given the same treatment—our small voices were ignored or given less weight. Many of us inferred that to mean that what we had to say was unimportant or worthless. And we extrapolated that message further, learning to shush and ignore the quiet voice that was inside us.

When it came time for us to make our own decisions, we needed a strong encouraging voice of our own. But the voice had been shoved down, and couldn’t compete with the clamour of the crowd. So we went along with them, choosing the “right” education, cars, houses, vacations, etc. We may have caught a whisper that said this wasn’t what we really wanted out of life…but it was a voice we’d been taught not to listen to. And if it got loud enough through the years to actually be heard, we shoved it back down with food, booze, and overwork; for we had built up lives that were centered around what we didn’t want…and the getting out of a false life required making decisions that had far-reaching consequences.

And then something happened. Something awful. We lost what we’d learned to call important: the job; the house; the car. The clamour fell away, and we found ourselves saying: “hmmm…I don’t know if I can find my way out of this hole because I sure can’t see a single pinprick of light anywhere.”
And a quiet voice said: “You can get out. Other people have. You hear about them all the time. Just don’t go down the same road again, because it’ll lead you right back to here.”
“What do you mean?” you responded, going to the cupboard and pouring out the fourth drink of the afternoon. “What road are you talking about?”
“You know what road.”
“You mean this? This drink? You think this caused all the trouble? Nah, this isn’t the problem….”

Sometimes it takes a while for that inner voice get strong enough to take a stand—strong enough not to be shut-down by a drink, or the loud clamour of denial, or whatever it is that keeps us back from living the life we want. Sometimes it takes another loss. But if we’re lucky, somehow we’ll remember to listen to that voice again, and within that conversation, make the quiet agreement.

by Penny Steen