Grammar Repair Shop: Liven up your language
Steering clear of business gibberish isn’t easy, since everybody in corporate America uses it. By “gibberish,” we mean the vague language that takes up space but doesn’t say much.
Category: Communication
Good call! Getting phone etiquette right
“Could I ask you to repeat your name one more time?” Admins who hate asking that question may fear that they come across as incompetent or unprofessional. The truth, though, is that they just want to get it right. Here are top tips from other admins on handling on-the-phone situations.
Add aphorisms to your bag of tricks
Aphorisms are reams of wisdom packed into little sayings. They come in
handy during meetings and speeches. Heres a sampling.
handy during meetings and speeches. Heres a sampling.
Grammar Repair Shop: Is it PM, p.m. or pm?
One reader asks, “Should I write ‘p.m.’ or ‘pm’ or ‘PM’?”
The business lunch: 5 etiquette rules
Whether you’re dining with peers at a convention or meeting with a vendor, lunch etiquette can keep you from marring your image with a faux pas. Here are five etiquette rules for business meals, according to Robin Jay, author of The Art of the Business Lunch:
Grammar Repair Shop: Making sense of alphabet soup
Two abbreviations, “i.e.” and “e.g.,” are often used interchangeably in writing. But they have different meanings.
Cap your conference with a post-con
Your big conference went off without a hitch. In fact, it went so smoothly, your boss might not realize how well you handled everything.
Turn your cell phone into a BlackBerry
You don’t need a BlackBerry or a Smartphone to stay in touch with your e-mail, even when you’re away from your desk. Thanks to three free services, you can monitor updates from important people (i.e., the boss) when you’ve been waylaid, stuck in a long meeting or dashing around on errands.
Read minds by watching for body cues
Is he giving you an honest answer? Is she angrier than she’s telling you? Watch for “tactile signs” to know what someone really feels.
Is it raise or rise?
“Is it ‘Crop input prices have been raising rapidly’ or ‘Crop input prices have been rising rapidly’?”