Some great communicators are born, and some work hard at it. Steve Jobs works incredibly hard at it, more than you may know. If you are anywhere near a computer these days, you have either personally seen or heard the buzz around Jobs’ top rate presentations. Perhaps you’ve often wondered what his secret is. You might be shocked to know that he practices and rehearses hours and weeks before every presentation, getting each detail in place for the big day. Check out “The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience.” (Carmine Gallo).

That’s right, everyone. Even Steve Jobs prepares for his presentations, so why aren’t you?  Let me share with you what some have described as their “approach” to getting ready before a presentation:

• Reading over the notes and PowerPoint printed handouts a few hours, or an hour, before the engagement.
• Practicing in “my head” on the way there.
• Doing a dry run with colleagues (in the case of peer presentations) right before the real thing.
• Spending an hour to two rehearsing out loud and attempting a good synch of the info to slides.

In view of this and many other methods confessed, the last point is preparation practice at its very best. Not very impressive. Clearly, if Jobs is doing more to wow ‘em, then so should you. So why do we fail to do so? Here are the common excuses, and I bet yours is in there somewhere:

1. I’m too busy.
2. As one person in a peer presentation, changes are made last minute, so I may not be able to plan for this.
3. I am pretty good at winging it.
4. I do better when I don’t plan ahead. I end up sounding more natural.

Let’s agree that we are all guilty of at least one of these. On the flip side, let’s also agree that it’s painful to observe a less prepared speaker and much more interesting to watch someone who has their game mastered. Let’s face it–preparation is king.

Presentation competency and your ability to persuade the audience of your message is a critical skill separating you from the competitor—other companies, other bidders, colleagues vying for the same position, candidates applying for the same job, etc. You’ve heard it said that we are in, and moving toward, a knowledge-based economy; therefore, your knowledge and intellectual ability is your most prized and sought after asset. Use it!

So, if you are approaching speaking engagements lightly (meaning ANY kind of presentation, formal speaking opportunity, or other) then why should your audience take you seriously? Here are some practical steps to start taking your public speaking skills to the next level:

1. Create timeframes around assignments and projects that will require a public speaking component. Adhere to them, allowing ample time for practice.
2. Practice each section of your presentation, from intro and slide one through to the Q&A slide, accounting for each piece you will discuss, refer to, or gloss over. Pace yourself each time.
3. Video tape yourself and watch for body language. If you’re not sure what to look for, ask a trusted colleague for feedback, an HR person, or someone in business communications who would be able to offer insight.
4. Repeat practice over and over again until you feel entirely confident. Remember, regardless of the audience or purpose of the presentation, each opportunity is a unique way to get people excited about you and what you represent. Who wouldn’t want that?
5. Do not wait last minute. This bad for your nerves.
6. If this is simply not your forté, invest a few bucks in a presentation coach and watch your gains return to you double fold. I can’t think of a better place to invest in yourself.

Easier said than done? Maybe your issue is accountability? In that case, find an accountability partner or trainer who will hold you to the task. Getting serious about professional development is challenging, and old habits die hard.

When it comes to presentation skills, far too many of us take second place unnecessarily. It’s time to start taking lessons from Steve Jobs and doing our business communication homework. Please let us know how we can help or if you have a point of inspiration to share from this post.

Happy presenting!

Being a great communicator is not rocket science, even if your native language is not English. Communication habits that are noticed, and effective, are deceptively easy. Consider the simplicity of the following approaches:

1. Use some one’s name, especially on the phone. Doing this even once or twice, which is usually enough, encourages rapport or personable atmosphere when you are on the phone or face to face with someone.
2. Recognize the efforts and sacrifices of others. We live in a time compressed world and when you take from some one’s time (even if it is a demand of the job) extend gratitude and thanks where thanks are due. People remember how others make them feel months and years after the fact. Make this a positive impression.
3. Don’t eat lunch at your desk–be social instead. Indeed, this can be a sacrifice, but a worthy one. Imagine that everyone else is just as busy as you are, if not more. Take specific measure to have lunch, coffee, or 5 to 10 minutes here and there for a little conversation. Relationship building is good common sense. Just do it.
4. Listen. It’s a what’s-in-it-for-me world out there. How refreshing it can be when someone is really listening to what you have to say. More specifically, try to meaningfully build off others’ contributions, which shows you are truly listening.
5. Imagine that time really might be your listener and reader’s most precious asset—so work hard to protect it. Be mindful with timeliness, brevity, and staying true to timeframes for meetings. Regarding e-mail, less is more, and one e-mail is better than two. Think twice before hitting send.

While these points may seem remote from language skills, ESL topics, or Business English, remember that effective communication is more than what’s on the surface. Know also that, while there is an abundance of interpersonal and soft skill strategies out there, these five were carefully selected. Why? For brevity’s sake, it is enough to say that there seem to be a world of cultural differences that manifest themselves in the lack, or absence, of these softer characteristics being displayed. These have come to our attention, and we share them to empower you.

If we don’t give you feedback, who will?

It is very hard to fix language and communication errors when you do not know what you are doing wrong. This is where feedback is useful, and herein lies the problem.

Many non-Native English speakers express frustration that their colleagues do not point out language mistakes, written or verbal, or do so only sparingly and when prompted. So what could be the issue here? There are a number of different responses to this from Native English speakers including:

• I don’t want to offend my colleagues by pointing out their language mistakes. Who am I to offer that feedback?
• In my office culture, it may be too risky, or not politically correct, to focus on others’ differences and view them as shortcomings.
• If I give feedback, it may become a routine and I do not want to be stuck in that position. Giving feedback can be time consuming, especially for writing, and our work environment is very fast paced. There’s not enough time in the day.
• It’s amazing that Paulo speaks and writes that well in English—if I were in Spain, there’s no way I could even come close. Any feedback I could give would feel like nitpicking.

So these are some of the classic answers, and hopefully they are helpful in conveying the mostly American viewpoint on why giving feedback on language can be difficult. Also remember that many of your colleagues, while Native English speakers, may not necessarily have the “trainer’s eye” to look into your language and communication idiosyncrasies as a trainer or communications coach would.

Now this brings us to some solutions, and hopefully how you can get past these barriers onto the feedback that is so critical to understanding where you may be falling short of professional communication standards. Consider the following steps:

1. Identify one or two trusted colleagues (Native English speakers) or professional persons who you are close with. This could be a same-level peer, an adviser, or an HR person.
2. Single out the areas you believe you may be struggling in, based on any prior feedback (mid year, annual reviews) and your own perceptions. Write that list down and dig out some writing samples that you feel exemplify these issues.
3. Make this engagement deliberate. Your professional development, and ultimate advancement, might hinge upon your improvement. Your sense of urgency should be conveyed in your manner of approach to your colleague. E-mail, call, or speak face to face with this person, singling out enough time for a worthwhile discussion. Clearly state your purpose for the meeting, e.g. “I believe my language and communication level, written and/or verbal, may be impacting my work product or standing in the way of advancement. To date, no one has given me any substantive feedback, so I’m looking for a serious evaluation of where I stand so I can get the help I need.”

These steps should get you on the road to receiving feedback on your language and communication skills. Notice how in the last step, you are not asking your colleague to become the go-to person for feedback from here on out, rather you are looking for a reasonable commitment of their time. Also, if you treat this as a formal engagement and express a degree of urgency, others are more likely to empathize and become open to the request.

On a final note, follow through. If you do get the feedback you are looking for, be sure you take the steps to do something about it. Talk to your HR or employee benefits person; there may be a tuition reimbursement perk that you are unaware of. You may also look for options on your own.

What you do not want to do is ignore the problem, especially if you have gone to great lengths to get feedback. Consider that all people working a job anywhere are continuously investing in their professional development in one way or another. Your area of need just so happens to be English and professional communication.

Best of luck on your journey! Please let us know how we can help or if we can answer any questions.

I was about to start a training session with a client the other day when she casually interrupted and proceeded to tell me exactly what she wanted and did not want from our program. It wasn’t so much her approach to the conversation which took me by surprise, but the fact that she had never been so…black and white. In another meeting context unrelated to training or cross-cultural communication, I might have taken this as a blunt, straight-to-the-point, bottom line approach. Let’s call it “American.”

The fact is that three months ago, this client (let’s call her Candace) was not necessarily timid, but did not know how she could use her company sponsored training time with me, resulting in an approach that was less engaged, less collaborative and much less directive– a bit more show and tell. This time around was different, and Candace was driving. I liked the change of pace.

Candace demonstrated what is often lacking with many of the international clients coming to Springboards:

• Clear initiatives when driving the meeting;

• Outside contextual knowledge to support the discussion and provide necessary confidence for its delivery;

• Strong directives, and

• The foresight to see the training as a collaborative, two-way process, not a transactional exchange.

As soon as she was able to see her own stake in the outcomes of the training, she was able to jump in faster and more forcefully influence the direction it would take.

So when I hear managers and colleagues of internationals lament that their colleagues are not speaking out and contributing enough at meetings, I say put them into self-directed training. Tell them the outcomes are based heavily on how well they are able to communicate their needs to the trainer then work collaboratively to improve, which also means doing their part throughout the life of the program. This process is no different, and should be no different, than how they work within teams. In this case, the outcomes are more strongly connected to their own professional development and eventual career advancement. Who wouldn’t want a stake in their own future?

Finally, where many types of training programs abound—mandatory and optional, group and individual, corporate university and in person, among others—make sure international employees do not view these as transactional or one-way. Making internationals collaboratively responsible for the outcomes of the training is an effective way to empower them with tools and entrepreneurial thinking about their futures in the organization.  In order for such outcomes to take place, be sure the training structure allows for this degree of autonomy. It will then be crystal clear who is taking responsibility for their own career development, and who is simply waiting for others (the company? other colleagues? the trainer?) to decide this for them.

We hope this was helpful both to our international readers and the people who support them. We want to hear from you. In the vein of motivating, promoting and retaining talented international employees, what solutions have you tried? What is working? Not working?

We look forward to the discussion!

The power to change your writing begins with you, not the resources you have come to rely on–blogs, articles, books and the “7 tried-and-true methods of professional e-mailing.” All these tools will help to build you up, without question, but they cannot replace self effort. Ironically, and often the case with busy English as a Second Language (ESL) professionals (and the rest of us), time always trades off for flawless work.

Knowing the right answer will not suffice, nor will having the right tools in front of you. When quickly skimming through e-mail, how many times has the built-in Microsoft grammar/spellchecker corrected you on a mishap that you would have caught on your own if only you had proofread? Or, for those of you with an extended history of high school English grammar, ESL classes, Business English, or TOEFL training, how often have slapped yourself on the head because you already knew the answer?

Proofreading will demand your time, but writing poorly also takes more time than you might imagine. Consider the following side effects of careless writing:

• Excessive length and an absence of direction in clear formatting
• Repeat e-mails that result from lack of clarity
• Follow up calls and excessive e-mails necessitated by e-mails in bad form
• Relationships that require damage control because of one instance of bad tone

The list goes on. Wouldn’t you rather take more ownership, and control, by making a small investment with strong, long term gains? Proofread your e-mails three times before sending to readers with the following 1-2-3 formula, and make a lasting impression:

1. Check for spelling and grammar mistakes
2. Look over for flow, logic, clarity, and formatting
3. Do a final check for repetition, redundancies, and tone

Rarely does one ever catch repetition or lack of “humanness” until the second or third edit, so be thorough! Wondering whether this trades off fairly for your time? Rarer are regrets over harder work than unfinished work with unfavorable consequences. Make the investment and begin to feel empowered by the knowledge you already have.

Questions? Comments? Wondering whether you really do grasp tone or can adequately assess redundancies? Tell us about it–we want to hear from you.

To get promoted you must excel at what you do. To get promoted faster, you must be noticed for excellence. In 1963 advertising executive William A. Marsteller said, “Don’t waste your ability – write articles, make speeches. Stand out from the crowd or be lost in the crowd.” Four-and-a-half decades later, this advice still rings true. Writing articles and giving presentations are two salient skill sets that are marketable and highly desirable—think promotional building blocks.

To climb the corporate ladder takes action. Here are some points to consider as you think about getting started on your writing:

• Corporate culture – If your company has a culture of cooperation, your initiative may be welcomed and it’s likely safe to proceed. If the culture is highly competitive you may need to look for opportunities that are closely in line with the responsibilities of your job. In any case talk with your manager about your ideas and get their advice.
• Conflict check – Always be careful not to step on co-workers’ toes by doing their jobs or acting like an expert in their areas. You may come across as someone who wants to get ahead at any cost and who cannot be trusted. Also, it may be possible that a similar project is being worked on or has been produced in the past. Fully research your company’s database before embarking on such an endeavor.
• Seniority – Being new at a company doesn’t mean that you can’t put yourself forward. Focus on what you can contribute, such as experience in the industry or research at your university, and don’t write about your company’s procedures and traditions until you have been there long enough to understand them.
• Comfort level with English – Know where you need to improve in English and work on those areas to build your comfort level with the language accordingly.

Strong writing and speaking skills are becoming more highly competitive both in terms of perfection and in desirability on the part of the employer, client, and various external audiences. More so, as an international professional, these skills show that you mean business, that you are confident with English and culturally adept—highly prized attributes in a globalizing world. Consider these core business communication skills key to professional advancement and promotion.

“You think you are able; I think you are able. When other people around you begin saying so, unsolicited, then you’re promotable.” Start the new year by thinking you are able and defining and addressing those areas where you may need some fine tuning.

In our next article we’ll talk about the kinds of writing you can do and some topics you can write about.

As a non-native speaker of English, sometimes it might be challenging for a native English speaker to understand you, and for you to therefore get your message across. This is true regardless of where you are speaking: at a meeting, a networking event, or a presentation to prospective customer. In these situations you won’t always be asked you to repeat yourself. Not only will your message not be heard, but your credibility might be put at risk.

Strategies for improving audience comprehension

1. Speak more slowly in English than you do in your native language. You can begin to do this right now and you may be surprised how this one simple change can result in such a large improvement.

2. Be careful not to connect words so tightly together that your listener will have trouble determining when one word ends and the next one starts. If your native language tends to make limited use of intonation in ordinary speech, as in Spanish, Korean, or Chinese, tightly connecting words can make understanding even more challenging for a listener.

3. Learn the proper stress for common technical words in your field. Consider the word “amortization,” a word often used in finances. The correct stress is on the fourth syllable, “amortiZAtion.” Say the word out loud and listen to its pronunciation at the online Merriam-Webster dictionary. Now pronounce it with the stress on the third syllable, “amorTIzation.” Do you hear the difference? Try saying it both ways to a native English speaker and ask if he can hear the difference. By using improper stress together with fast speaking speed, the result is likely to be that the listener does not understand what you said. Worse, it may be so distracting that the listener misses a part of your message because he’s so busy focusing on your stress or pronunciation.

4. Be aware of your intonation and stress when you speak. Intonation, the way you raise and lower your voice as you speak, imparts a lot of meaning in English. Stress, the emphasis you put on syllables and words, also conveys meaning and it helps a listener identify the important words. Even or “flat” intonation and lack of stress may cause a listener to lose interest in what you are saying because you may come across as not really interested in what you are saying. A “sing-song” style of speaking may distract a listener because it sounds unusual to a native English speaker. In English it’s common to strongly stress the content words, i.e., the ones that give the sentence its meaning. Here’s an example of a sentence with the content words underlined: “I went to the store to buy bread.” Ask a native speaker to say this sentence and listen to how he stresses the words.

5. Learn the typical mistakes you might be making in English based on your native language and correct them. You may not be aware of the mistakes you are making in English unless specific feedback is offered to you. This is where a trainer can help. Some of the common errors we come across are mispronouncing some letters of the alphabet when spelling names, or mispronouncing specific consonant or vowel sounds.

Where to go for help

I. Learner English will help you understand the kinds of errors you might be making that are a result of the characteristics of your native language. Each chapter provides many details for errors most commonly made by speakers of one particular language, such as

• pronunciation of specific consonants, vowels, and consonant-vowel combinations
• influence of spelling on pronunciation
• rhythm and stress
• intonation
• spelling, contractions, and punctuation
• general and specific grammar issues, such as verb tenses, word order, question formation, articles, gender, adjectives, pronouns, possessive construction, and prepositions

II. Armed with that information, you might want to continue with Sound Concepts. This guide will help you learn how to correct speaking errors that you may be making in stress, intonation, forming sounds, or word endings.

III. The website Phonetics – The Sound of Spoken Language will show you the details of pronouncing each sound used in the English language and let you hear each sound. If you would like professional help in accent reduction, we recommend Paul Meier Dialect Services.

We know that ultimately you will decide how important it is to improve in this area of your spoken English. For some of you, your accent has become a part of who you are and as such, you are willing to bring it front and center intially then move on from it to focus on more important things like your message. For the rest of you, we know this may not be true. We suggest you educate yourself about the effects your accent may be having on audience comprehension and seek help. Make this a goal for 2010, but whatever you do, do not let it hold you back from moving forward professionally.

References

Swan, Michael and Bernard Smith. Learner English: A teacher’s guide to interference and other problems (Second Edition). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2001. ISBN 0-521-77939-1

Reed, Marnie and Christina Michaud. Sounds Concepts: An Integrated Pronunciation Course. New York: McGraw Hill ESL/ELT, 2005. ISBN 0-07-293428-X

Phonetics – The Sound of Spoken Language, a University of Iowa project

When you think of networking do you imagine an intimidating room of successful business people who are effortlessly mingling?  Not a particularly inviting picture, is it?   That’s maybe why so many people shy away from formal networking events.

Cutting to the chase…

1. Don’t shy away from networking.  Risk taking is an essential part of career development, and when it comes to open networking, the risk is minimal.
2. If you have been at the firm long enough and see your career long-term, you will eventually have to network or be involved in this aspect of business development to some degree.
3. Keep your finger on the pulse.  There are a lot of networking events out there, but the more you stay tuned in, the more meaningfully you can stay top of mind to relevant audiences.

Recently I attended a workshop for international business students looking to enter the workforce.  During the discussion period, I was surprised that none of the people I spoke with had ever attended a formal networking event.   The most common response I got was a blank stare or an innocent shrug.  It seemed as though they were aware of the world of formal networking and had never even considered the possibility of entertaining it.

Formal networking can be uncomfortable, recapturing the feeling of the first appearance at a high school prom– standing around awkwardly hoping someone will notice you, or even make eye contact with you.   Who would ever choose to feel like that?

You Are Not Alone

For anyone who can relate, let me put you at ease.  I recently networked at an event held by  the Greater Boston Chambers of Commerce and found myself among a rather large group of regular attendees.  Despite being slightly nervous in those first few moments on the playground, I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly I became acclimated.  About half the people at the event were attending were also new to the Chambers and several were quick to admit feeling a little nervous.  It put me at ease to know I wasn’t the only one.

Even more surprising was the degree to which people were actually supportive of one another.    Whether a small business owner, or an employee of an established corporation, the behavior of the attendees seemed to support an atmosphere of collegiality and collaboration. People were generally supportive, even the more sales-leaning folk.

Don’t Do Long Winded Sales Pitches

Much to my relief and preconceived notions, I personally did not have to impress everyone with a long-winded sales pitch.  On the contrary, I found myself on a few occasions in a group where one person dominated the conversation with long lists of facts about their business.  In each case, I noticed the listeners displayed visible strain, discomfort, or boredom at the engagement. By far the more valuable encounters were much more natural.

Be Yourself

I found the easiest way to make contacts was by just being myself.  I had my introductory statement prepared, about who I was and what I did.  However, once I made that statement, it was natural conversation that led to the exchange of business cards.  Sometimes the conversation moved to a topic unrelated to business, and then when it came back around, we felt we knew each other a little better and could talk more openly about our goals.  In one encounter I even made a contact that was mutually beneficial: I recommended her service to a colleague and she expressed an interest in mine.

In case you’re wondering, there’s no lack of good websites and blogs on the topic. Here are just a few:

Help on overcoming Networking Nerves:

http://www.wiredsussex.com (pdf)

Guidance on Networking Dos and Don’ts:

http://hilary.com/career/networking2.html

If you’re looking to get your feet wet, here are a few local (Boston) places where you can stay up-to-date with networking event calendars:

http://www.boston.com

http://boston.bizjournals.com/boston/calendar/

http://www.bostonchamber.com/

http://www.searchboston.com/biz-cal.html

So for anyone who has never considered attending networking events, or for those who have considered it but have never actually done anything about it, some food for thought:  the worst that can happen is you go home without any contacts, which is the same as if you stayed home.  Finally, when you do venture out, be yourself.  Don’t let preconceived notions of networking alter your behavior.

Questions? Comments? Gripes? Be part of the discussion.

Striving to be noticed can be one of the biggest challenges, and for an international job candidate in the U.S., this especially rings true.  A business owner once gave me the advice, “You can be the prettiest or you can be the ugliest, just don’t be in between.”  What he meant, of course, was that you need to stand out from the hundreds of people competing for the same opportunities.

So for all this talk about being standing out this surely raises a few questions: What differences count as being “competitive” or unique in what they can bring to an organization? How might an accent, of all things, give someone a unique edge to a career opportunity?

According to an article published in Human Resources Management Review[1] “bilingualism and biculturalism are indicative of cognitive flexibility and openness to experience.” And even more recently, those who participate in global mobility programs, versus those who don’t, are looked at more favorably. Even more than that, larger companies with a more global presence are beginning to prefer membership in a global mobility program as a key ingredient in promotion. Thus, you can look at your accent in English one way: as an outward symbol for bilingual and bicultural diversity.

So if you are not feeling at home with your accent, it’s time to consider the benefits of your uniqueness in an otherwise homogenous setting. An accent can give others around you a rich impression of your cultural experience.  People from different cultures often have different ways of thinking about the same situation, and being able to think outside the box is important for the more lateral and team-based communications dominating organizations today.

It takes flexibility and adaptability to adjust to a new culture, and these are also traits that businesses seek out in their employees.  Bilinguals often have the sensitivity and insight necessary for successful intercultural engagement, not to mention the language skills needed for a new market opportunity.  Bilingualism, then, should be looked at as a highly sought after skill in business. Learn to embrace your accent as free advertising.

Do take note, however. While the range of acceptable pronunciation is broadening as English becomes a Lingua Franca, an accent can either work in your favor or be a disastrous roadblock to communication.  Comprehensibility is the key.   If an accent masks the message or requires great concentration on the part of the listener, that’s a certain sign of trouble. Here are a few questions you can ask yourself or have a trusted (fluent English speaking) colleague use when evaluating your accent:

• Are the words clear, and easy to understand?
• Do the words flow together?
• Is there proper intonation?
• Does it match your intended meaning?

A true acid test—can your colleagues understand one of your voicemails sent under “ordinary” circumstances? If you’re in the clear, embrace the moment. Bilingual ability and multicultural experience are must-have professional skills for today’s knowledge industry organizations. We would not recommend accent training unless you were conscious of it to the point of being distracted in your interactions.

If you’re not in the clear, we recommend you get there fast. You don’t want people second guessing your abilities or identifying communication challenges on this account. We like Paul of Paul Meier Dialect Services. He’s fast and effective and has the convenience of phone based coaching. Whatever you decide, be sure you do what’s needed to stay in the race.

And as always, there’s so much to cover on any given topic. If we left you out, or we didn’t address your area of particular need, SAY SOMETHING. We want to hear from you, so please post your comments and questions.

Until the next chapter…

Sandra

It has always felt to me a presumptuous task to narrow down a list of “the best of this” and “the most common of that.” But the question of “What are the most common writing mistakes of English as a Second Language (ESL) speakers?” is still a popular one and, as a search term, continues to yield 100k+ returns on a Google search no matter which way you phrase it. On top of that, many of you have been specifically requesting this list for some time now.

So before elaborating on “the list,” allow me to explain my hesitation and procrastination in not having done this sooner.

1. ESL speakers come from a variety of linguistic backgrounds and do not make the same grammatical mistakes.
2. There are more than 10 kinds of errors spread across several category types: grammar, cross cultural nuances, business communication protocol, and audience-centered writing principles among others. It’s hard to pick the “top.”
3. The more they are called “mistakes” the more our culture will be based on learning from “failures” rather than “successes.” I’m an advocate of the latter. http://discussionleader.hbsp.com

But since so many of you longsuffering- ESL speakers, colleagues of ESL speakers, and communications experts alike – have asked for a breakdown, here we go.

The first five mistakes we will look at fall into the “grammar” category.

1. SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT

Incorrect Sentence: We had a kick-off meeting with Mr. Schmidt from Big Medical Devices Company yesterday; I’m not sure he agree to our current proposal.

Correct Sentence: We had a kick-off meeting with Mr. Schmidt from Big Medical Devices Company yesterday; I’m not sure he agrees to our current proposal.

2. COUNT NOUNS vs. NON-COUNT NOUNS
Incorrect Sentence: She offered me a variety of inputs on the manuscript.
Correct Sentence: She offered me a variety of input on the manuscript.

3. PARALLEL STRUCTURE

Incorrect Sentence: We are looking at several options from reducing hours, get a contract seasonal worker, offer voluntary resignation packages, and the removal of some benefits.

Correct Sentence: We are looking at several options from reducing hours, getting a contract seasonal worker, offering voluntary resignation packages, and removing some benefits.

4. GERUND, INFINITIVE, or BOTH?

Incorrect Sentence: Please remind me of adding the meeting to my calendar; I anticipate to see many of the new hires there.

Correct Sentence: Please remind me to add the meeting to my calendar; I anticipate seeing many of the new hires there.

5. ARTICLES: A, AN, THE or NOTHING?

Incorrect Sentence: The patients receiving new UI drug experienced side effects of nausea, dizziness, and insomnia versus other group of patients who took competitor drug and experienced only mild side effect of taste loss.

Correct Sentence: Patients receiving the new UI drug experienced the side effects of nausea, dizziness, and insomnia versus the other group of patients who took the competitor drug and experienced only the mild side effect of taste loss.

These grammar mistakes are a tell-tale sign to the reader that the e-mail is not from a native speaker, which may unfairly add to a list of stereotypes or biased decisions about the writer’s credibility. ESL writers fear this, and with good reason.

One partial remedy would be to write e-mails first in Microsoft Word then transplant them into the e-mail body. This will catch most grammar and spelling mistakes. However, this doesn’t cover all of them and some errors are very habit-forming and difficult to break.

Some recommendations would be to take a short-term grammar class (online or one-on-one) that focuses specifically on the target grammar errors. There are so many choices available for this and more often than not, executives are too busy for self study. So, it is highly advised that one have accountability and structure in this area.

Other problem areas in ESL writing deserve equal attention. The following 6-10 areas represent a combination of business communication and writing technique mistakes common among both native and non-native speakers. The major differences are that they are more prevalent with the latter group and tend to be worsened and more implicating when coupled with some of the grammar mistakes mentioned in 1-5 above.

1. Informal language in formal correspondence
2. Emotive language
3. Tone: mechanical-sounding or non-conversational
4. No call-to-action or clear navigation
5. Lack of flow from one sentence to the next

If you would like to see examples of these, stay tuned for our next post. In fact, we are taking submissions via open enrollment, so take the liberty of slipping your own e-mails in there if you would like a complimentary proofing and analysis of your work. We promise to keep you anonymous!

Send submissions here: info@springboardsconsulting.com

Thank you for reading. And remember, we want to make this blog yours, so send us your submissions, questions and comments.