Business Writing and Professionalism

I have just spoken to a middle manager who had received negative feedback in her last job appraisal regarding her reports and emails. She was told her messages were not clear and often required more explanation.

The woman disagreed. She thought her writing was very professional. Her word choice and lenghty sentences showed she was highly educated and cultured.

In the business world is being professional about making yourself look good on paper?

Emails and Privacy

I understand that emails written by managers at Toyota are now being subpoened for an upcoming lawsuit. Why do people think that what they write in an email is private? It ends up in your sent box, on your server, on your receiver's server, in your reciever's inbox, etc. You can delete it from one place, but you will probably miss others.

Just recently, councillors at the City of Mississauga were all up in arms because they found out some designated members of city staff could review messages they sent and received on city-owned computers. Where have these people been hanging out?

The spoken language is diffuse. It can become a matter of he said/she said. Written words -- particularly those in emails -- can come back to haunt you and your business. It's important to watch what your write.

Your Writing Projects an Image

I just got off the phone from a manager who was asking for help for one of his staff members. He really likes the employee and appreciates his expertise and commitment to the job. However, the manager is greatly concerned about the young man's writing ability. He said the man's resume states he graduated from a recognized college. "How can a college pass someone who communicates so poorly," the manager asked. The company they both work for is trying to build a highly professional image. "I can't let this guy send out any external email. It's too embarrassing and certainly does not project the image we want."

My own thoughts are that in today's marketplace it's not enough to be an expert in your field. You have to be able to communicate your expertise to others.

Grammar and Students
Are you appalled at the English grammar knowledge of today's young people? You're not alone. The University of Waterloo is one of the few post-secondary institutions in Canada to require students to pass an exam testing their English language skills. Almost a third of students fail it -- even those with good marks out of Grade 12. What should professors do? Should they fail students because they can't express themselves grammatically or pass students because they know the subject matter?