NEWS YOU CAN USE
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Cooling Down E-mail “Flaming”
Sending an e-mail message with content that could be interpreted as embarrassing, offensive, or rude is so common that it has a name: flaming.
“Flaming” messages are those that might be better left unsaid or ones that could be communicated more diplomatically in a face-to-face situation. Psychologists name the phenomenon “online disinhibition effect” or a lack of restraint in e-messaging.
When we speak to another person, our brains continually monitor the receiver’s emotional signals, which are absent when composing an e-mail. Since tone, facial expression, or other cues cannot be read, the intent behind an e-mail is easily misread.
If we compose an e-mail in an agitated state, discretion often fails. Until e-mails include video, perhaps the best course of action when feeling upset is to stop and think before hitting the “send” button.
Discussion: How might you catch yourself to avoid flaming? Have you received an e-mail that you found insulting or rude? In which situations might a face-to-face discussion be better than sending an e-mail?
Source: Goleman, D. (2007, February 20). Flame first, think later: New clues to e-mail misbehavior. The New York Times, p. F5.
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Out With Fancy Language, in With Plain
Officials in Washington State have adopted an initiative that encourages employees to replace jargon, acronyms, and legalese with language that is simple and clear. That means replacing words like abeyance, cease, and utilize with more simple substitutions such as suspension, stop, and use.
The state’s governor, Chris Gregoire, mandated the changes when she took office. Since then more than 2,000 employees have attended classes designed to cut down on inflated or obtuse language. The governor’s thinking is that if citizens can understand what the government asks of them, they will be more likely to comply. Her idea is working.
The Department of Revenue tripled the number of businesses paying a certain tax simply by rewriting one letter. Janet Shimabukuro, a member of the state’s taxpayer services program, said, “Simple changes can have profound results. Plain talk isn’t only rewriting; it’s rethinking your approach.”
Washington is not the first state to adopt such policies, but it is the first to have put forth such a full-scale effort.
Discussion: Why are acronyms confusing? Why should you use simple rather than inflated language? How can you edit your own work to make it more “plain”?
Source: La Corte, R. (2006, December 11). Washington state sees results from ‘plain talk’ initiative. USA Today, p. 18A.
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Spiffy Software Fixes Faulty Phrasing
While the Internet is slowly becoming less Anglocentric, English is still the primary language in cyberspace. An Israeli firm has created software that scans English text and suggests ways to improve it.
The application, called WhiteSmoke, is much stronger than the grammar-checking program in Microsoft Word. WhiteSmoke works by comparing any written document—letters, e-mails, even legal contracts—to a database of usage patterns. Though it was created for the global audience that considers English its “lingua franca,” WhiteSmoke’s biggest market is the United States.
The CEO of the firm that created the software came up with the idea when her father, an Israeli heart surgeon, complained about the poor quality of correspondence he received from foreign colleagues. Hilla Ovil-Brenner and her computer engineer husband developed the WhiteSmoke’s technology using English documents to arrive at real-world examples to compare against user samples.
Programs such as Word simply process individual words, but WhiteSmoke is said to actually “understand” text.
Discussion: Why is correct English especially important to international companies using the Web? How might writing that is unclear affect a business? Why is it a good idea to proofread even after using Word’s grammar check?
Source: Sandler, N. (2007, February 21). Software that will this sentence fix. BusinessWeek.com. Retrieved June 9, 2007, from http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/feb2007/
gb20070221_832683.htm?chan=search
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Social Media Changing Business Communication
Users of MySpace, Facebook, and other social networking sites aren’t the only ones to adopt the newest form of communication. Business, too, is moving into the world of cyber communication.
Jonathan Schwarz, CEO of Sun Microsystems, uses a blog to communicate with his employees, customers, analysts, and resellers. The site attracts some 300,000 visitors monthly and bypasses traditional media such as press conferences, webinars, or videoconferencing.
Channels of communication such as “Web 2.0,” “participative media,” or “social media” hold profound implications for the way business talks to stakeholders. Instead of communicating through advertising or media relations activities, savvy businesses will channel their messages through blogs, peer-to-peer networks, video and photo sharing sites, collaborative wiki platforms, viral worlds, and podcasting.
Youth who have grown up after the PC revolution will not be focused on messaging that appears on the page. To reach this prized demographic, communicators will need to innovate and adapt to the new platforms.
Discussion: How might a business use social networking sites to increase awareness of a product? How does traditional advertising differ from messaging on a blog or a video-sharing site? How do you respond to commercial messaging on your social networking site?
Source: Gronstedt, A. (2007). Social media is changing everything. Retrieved February 7, 2007, from http://www.iabc.com/cw/private/cwb/2007/0207/agronstedt.htm
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Attire Affects Advancement
Clothes count. That’s the word from a recent survey of executives.
When asked how much someone’s clothing style affected chances of promotion, 33 percent of those questioned responded “significantly.” Another 60 percent said “somewhat.” Only seven percent said attire didn’t affect promotion at all.
Dressing for the position you aspire to is still necessary, said Diane Domeyer, executive director of OfficeTeam. “A polished appearance lends credibility and may help employers envision the staff member in a role with greater responsibility.”
When selecting work attire, ask yourself these questions:
1. Would the manager at the company wear it? If the answer is “no,” keep it in the closet.
2. Does it inspire self-confidence? Dressing sharply helps everyone feel more self-assured.
3. Is it clean and in good condition? Even in a casual work environment, torn or sloppy attire is inappropriate.
4. Is it comfortable? Uncomfortable clothing can be distracting.
Discussion: Look around your classroom. What articles of clothing would be inappropriate for the workplace? Why is so much importance placed on appearance? What changes will you have to make to your wardrobe when you transition to the workforce?
Source: “Clothing” in on the promotion. (2007, March). Officepro, p. 8.
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