Communicating in the Workplace

     Information overload is a common problem in the workplace. This can be especially true for a new employee. When I went back to work at an insurance agency after taking a hiatus to raise my children, everything had changed.  There was a completely new computer system, new procedures, and even a new dress code. Because I already had a background in sales and was familiar with insurance, I was thrown right into my position. The computer system was completely new to me, and I often felt like I was drowning in information. There were no written instructions. The person in charge of training me showed me a few things here and there when they had time, choosing the things they felt were the most important. Whenever a new situation came up, I had to go to someone for help again. After a few weeks, I got the hang of the system, but it was a challenge. One of the things that helped me deal with the information overload, was to make my own training manual that outlined the step by step process of each of the tasks I needed to master.  I added to it regularly. The next time someone was hired, it was my turn to train them. In addition to offering hands-on help, I gave them my manual, and they said it made it much easier to adjust to our computer system. 

     The person presenting this information to me originally did the best they could with what they had to work with. Training wasn’t usually their department, and they had other work to handle as well. The management at the office could have handled this situation much better. There should be people especially assigned to training, and specific steps and manuals they can use to help with this process.  If the company was more organized, the training process would go smoothly, creating less frustration for employees and better performance.

     There are many other techniques that can be used to help prevent information overload in the workplace. The first step is to make sure that you stick to one topic at a time. Jumping from one thing to another causes unnecessary confusion. It is also important that you clearly state your objective. Keep your message simple and to the point. Choose one format, such as video, PowerPoints, or charts, and stick with that throughout. Before giving your presentation, go over the information, and cut out anything that is unnecessary or confusing. Keep things short and to the point, and summarize your key points effectively at the end of the presentation ("Elearning Industry", 2013).

     Four important design elements of business documents are consistency, balance, restraint, and detail.  These are powerful tools in any form of communication, but are especially relevant when using an electronic or mobile setting. Be sure to use the same margins and word fonts consistently throughout your project. Use the white spaces between margins to provide contrast and balance.  Underlining or bold print can be used to emphasize important points. However, you must use some restraint and limit the techniques you use so your audience isn’t overwhelmed.  If you use noisy backgrounds or a font that is too small, it may be difficult to read.  Keep your work consistent and detailed, and always stay on point (University of Phoenix, 2017).

     Another important step in business communication is proofreading. You should always read over your work several times before presenting it to your audience. First, wait at least a few hours before proofreading because you are more likely to find mistakes. Always make certain to use a spell check program, but be aware that this isn’t foolproof. If you use the wrong word, but spell it correctly, spellcheck may miss this. If you have any doubts about the spelling of a word, look it up in a dictionary. Also, make certain to check for run-on sentences, sentence fragments, and incorrect tenses ("Small Business Chron", 2016).

     In addition to looking for grammatical errors, also double check your facts for accuracy. If possible, have a co-worker look your presentation over. A second pair of eyes may catch a mistake or an inconsistency that you missed. If this isn’t possible, see if you can find a text-to-speech program. This type of software will read your work back to you. It’s much easier to catch mistakes when you hear them. If you don’t have access to the software, try reading your work out loud to make certain it flows well.

     At times, you may find you need to adapt your presentation to suit your audience. The first step is understanding their needs and expectations. You should consider their demographics, language, and experience. If you see that you’re losing their attention, there are a few things to consider. Make certain you’re using a conversational tone that is both professional and friendly. Choose your words carefully, using plain language, but powerful words. Also, consider your setting, and choose a pleasant environment. While it is necessary to keep your audience engaged, remember the importance of business ethics. Never exaggerate facts just to make your presentation more exciting. The key to a good presentation is to inform, persuade, or initiate a conversation, so keep these goals in mind.  Basically, you must try to see things from their point of view, and prepare your presentation in a way that will appeal to your audience (University of Phoenix, 2017).

     If you’re working with a team, interpersonal communication is imperative. Each team member should clearly communicate their goals and objectives for the project, and take the time to understand the perspectives of each person involved. Everyone has their own opinions, and sometimes compromises must be made.  It’s also important that each team member learn to develop their listening skills.  Everyone on the team has a unique voice and essential skills to offer to the group. Listen to what each team member has to say. Even when there are disagreements, try to keep an open mind and never reply with anger or criticism.

     In closing, communicating in the workplace is a crucial part of any career. By taking the time to consider the needs of your audience and work closely with your team mates, you are sure to succeed in all your endeavors.

References

eLearning Industry. (2013). Retrieved from https://elearningindustry.com

University of Phoenix, (2017). Business Communication Essentials. Phoenix, AZ: University of Phoenix.

Small Business Chron. (2016). Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com

Guest Post - Three Ways To Boost Your Writing Career

These days, many aspiring writers are looking for simple strategies they can utilize to take their careers to a new level of success. If this is your professional goal, it's important to note that there are several techniques you can implement to make it happen. Here are three:

1. Do Not Avoid Controversy.

Writing is one of the most controversial careers an individual could pursue, especially if you opt to discuss polemical topics known for inciting anxiety and discord. In the event that you find your ideas or values critiqued or criticized by the public, it's a good idea not to avoid controversy. Instead, figure out how to defend or retract your views in a humble, intelligent manner. This helps you develop a positive public image while simultaneously drawing attention to your work. For example, successful writer Daniel Handler was recently critiqued for a racial joke he made while a woman was awarded the National Book Award for Young People's literature. Handler apologized for the joke and has gone on to continue cultivating his writing career.

2. Build A Blog.

Building a blog is another effective strategy you can build to boost your writing career. In addition to functioning as a form of internet marketing through which you can boost sales for your work, blogging can be a wonderful way for you to network with other individuals in the writing community. Additionally, there are many writers who built substantive names for themselves through the maintenance of a high quality blog. Once they've developed a strong online presence and an avid following, they are oftentimes capable of attracting attention from literary agents.

3. Write.

One of the biggest mistakes that writers make when attempting to cultivate their careers is that they neglect the practice of writing. This is debilitating in many ways, including the fact that it means one is not continually submitting fresh work to potential publishers. Neglecting one's writing work is also disadvantageous because it precludes you from building your vocabulary and learning how to write more effectively.

Conclusion

If you've decided that you want to become a writer, it's important to note that there are numerous things you can do to increase the likelihood that you will have great success. To ensure that you remain on the path to vocational mobility, be sure to implement some or all of the writing techniques outlined here. Good luck!

StyleWriter 4 Giveaway

If you do much writing for work, personal business or as a career, you know how important it is to make sure your written word is fluent, grammatically correct and flows well. Even if you have great ideas, sometimes it can be difficult to come up with the right words, but mostly even the best writers need a little help with proofreading from time to time. StyleWriter 4 is the perfect addition to your office to help you become the best author you can possibly be! Whether you have years of experience, or you are sitting down for the first time, you can become a better writer instantly with StyleWriter 4. With this great Free Trial Offer, you can start using the world's most powerful editing software immediately! If you aren't sure about whether this is for you or not, check out the great video: Introducing StyleWriter 4! Not only will you learn more about the program, but you'll be sure to be convinced about what a great tool it is for you! StyleWriter 4 Is Great For: Back To School Students in High School & College. Great for editing research papers, term papers and creating brilliant essays with easy. Students who download the free trial will also receive the acclaimed guide: “How To Write An A-Grade Essay”! Not only will they have the tool to use, they will have instructions applicable to their school needs. Content Creators & Freelancers. Not only will you have an extra edge on the competition, you'll find this software helps you focus on your projects more. Being able to make your ideas come to life on paper is so much easier when you are using this amazing software. Job Applicants. Anyone who is currently looking for a new job an benefit from this great software. Not only would it be wonderful to adjust your current resume, but it will also give you an edge up on those careers where the written word is important for securing your job. You are already use to spell checker showing you basic errors in your writing. Now you can use StyleWriter4 as an intuitive copy-editing software. It will show you how to edit, redraft, change and overhaul your writing into a style that is competitive with top writers and journalists in your field. Not sure if this is a program that is quality enough for you to invest in? StyleWriter 4 is currently being used by many organizations you will recognize and respect. Current StyleWriter's users include: University and high school students

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Start your journey toward becoming a better, more professional writer with a Free Trial Download of StyleWriter 4! Once you see how wonderful this program is, you can easily upgrade to the edition that works best for your needs!

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No matter what your need is when it comes to proofreading, writing and excelling in the written word, StyleWriter 4 is the program you want to add to your computer today. Not only will you know you'll be giving your clients, teachers or simply yourself the best you can, you can do so with pride and know the words were totally yours. Get your Free Trial of StyleWriter 4 today to begin making the most of the writing talent you already posses.

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Giveaway ends October 6th at 11:59pm, open to US, ages 18+. Only one entrant per household, per address. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. Enter using the giveaway form below. Good luck!

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Disclaimer: The participating bloggers were not compensated for this post. No purchase is necessary to enter. One entrant per household, per address. Void where prohibited by law. Winner(s) will be contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. The sponsor(s) will be responsible for product shipment to winner(s) of this sweepstakes. This event is in no way administered, sponsored, or endorsed by, or associated with, Facebook and/or Twitter, Google, Pinterest. Contact teri@mompoweredmedia.com if you have any additional questions or comments.

Turn Your Passion for Writing Into a Career with Professional Book Publishing

Very few successful writers start out making money right away. Dean Koontz published a number of books under a series of pen names and wrote for others, and Stephen King struggled to sell stories to magazines while working as a teacher in the beginning stages of his career. When you put pen to paper, you want to get the ideas out of your head and hopefully share your stories with others. Professional publishing companies can make that happen without you finding an agent first.   Custom Printing   While you can find a large number of publishers willing to publish your book, you'll want to look for a company that offers custom printing and additional support. With custom printing, the publisher will work with you to decide on the layout for your book, what the cover looks like and other features. Your publisher can do everything from create a coffee table book with gorgeous color photographs to publishing a simple fiction book.   Make Money Online   The number of ebooks sold in the country continues increasing, and a large number of authors make a comfortable living selling shorter and longer stories in a digital format. Turning your book into an ebook lets you reach people who purchase and download books directly to their tablets and smartphones, which can increase your annual income. Inspired Intermedia and similar companies will work with you on creating a digital version of your book. Click here to learn more about the process and what you should do next.  

 

My Top Two Writing Tools - Grammarly & Text to Speech

 *** I used Grammarly to grammar check this post because I knocked a jar of typo faeries over when I reached for my coffee.***

For me, one of the hardest parts of writing has always been proofreading. My eyes tend to see what they want to see instead of what's actually there. It's especially difficult with my own work because I know what I meant to say. In the three years since getting my first book published, I've come a long way in regards to learning how to proofread. There are two tools I find indispensable for this task, and today I'm going to talk a little about each one.

Grammarly

I stink at grammar. I know it's true and I thank the gods for the amazing editors I've worked with who have helped me polish up my novels. I still have a few issues, like overusing commas and the occasional run-on sentence. Since I can't turn to my editors every time I type a blog post, I've learned to use grammarly to double check my punctuation. This easy to use program finds up to ten times more mistakes than the average word processor. In addition to checking for basic errors, it even provides a safety check against possible plagiarism. All you have to do is cut and paste your text into the box and it will run a quick scan which will reveal all your grammar issues. My publisher originally turned me onto this program and I can't recommend it enough.


Text to Speech

I owe a huge thank you to Magaly from Pagan Culture for turning me on to text to speech. She beta-read a book for me and I was horrified at the amount of errors I missed. One perfect example was that I had ProCessor in lieu of ProFessor at least fifteen times. Six people had read the manuscript at that point and no one caught his embarrassing mistake. The human eye may not notice that one small letter, but when it's being read aloud, it's amazing how much easier a mistake can be caught.

 Through vs. Though  
 Except vs. Expect

You'll never miss these common errors again if you use this program. Another advantage it offers is that it picks up words that you've overused. In my most recent novel, I didn't realize until I listened to it that my characters "nodded" over a hundred times. But it stood out starkly when the automated voice was speaking. This gave me the chance to go back and change/eliminate some of them, making for a much cleaner manuscript.

If you want to give text to speech a try, it's simple to install and can be added  to most word documents. I'm not a computer expert, so I won't give instructions, but if you do a search for "text to speech" you should be able to find a way to install it on your computer.