Everyone needs to develop better questioning skills. “The size of your question determines the size of your answer.” Continue Reading
How many drafts does it take?
Success requires many drafts; The King’s Speech went through 50. Good products require good pre-production. Continue Reading
A great tightening exercise from our government?
If you’ve attended one of my training classes, you know that I teach the concept of “tightening” as a way to cut out all the excess words in our writing. Concise is good. That’s why I was so interested in reading in The Economist (January 1, 2011, p.29) that the Republican Contract from America called… Continue Reading
Preexisting toes now approved
I recently wrote about being rejected for health insurance because of my preexisting toes, two of which often develop corns. Because my foot doctor had mentioned surgery to me, Kaiser Permanente (KP) wouldn’t insure me. I am glad that I got over my sulking and asked my doctor to write a letter to KP saying… Continue Reading
The power of groups to support the individual, part 1
Groups can provide positive support to the individual. Continue Reading
Gratitude for my sight and hearing
A while back, I was grousing about our late-March snowstorm (10-20 inches predicted) and various other annoyances in my life. Then I picked up a colleague to take her to a professional STC (Society for Technical Communication) networking event. My colleague is both blind and deaf (her own description); she speaks very clearly, however. It… Continue Reading
Twelve tips that will help you communicate more professionally in 2010: Three great words to use more often
Years ago, I taught Business Writing at a male maximum-security prison in Minnesota. At the end of the quarter, one student asked, as he was leaving the room for the last time: “What is good writing, anyway?” ZING! I realized then that my grade for the class would have been an “F” for “Failure to… Continue Reading
(Nearly) everything I know about kindness, I learned from my grandchildren
I love learning life lessons from my grandchildren. I’m in the midst of a disastrous remodeling project (is there any other type?) and I sought solace at my daughter’s house. After I had whined awhile, my daughter suggested: “At least you still have a warm house and a roof over your head, and you still… Continue Reading
I believe in the Gallup Poll’s StrengthsFinder 2.0
Consider taking the StrengthsFinder assessment; it’s not expensive, but it reveals a lot about your strengths and may help you strategize your next career move. Continue Reading
Could you make a $70 million mistake?
Whose job is it to make communication complete, clear, consistent, concise, and correct? The writer, or the reader? Continue Reading